A York factory producing sandwich fillings and salads has been sold for a six-figure sum.

Today the new owners promised that not only were 18 jobs at The Salad Garden Ltd safe, but the plant will double in size over the next two years.

Alan Hawley and his son, Mark, have acquired The Salad Garden Ltd at Elvington Industrial Estate from co-founders Steve Hattee and Mick Kendall.

Now they are devising plans for further investment in the chilled food factory which supplies distributors to bakeries, delis and sandwich shops.

Both the new owners have huge experience in the food sector. Alan is the former chief executive of a multi-million pound food manufacturer, Voyager Foods and Challenger Foods, in Sunderland. He will be chairman of his new company, directing strategy.

Mark, like his father, studied food technology at Reading University, and has worked for a number of large companies in the food sector. He will be the factory's commercial director.

Steve Hattee will stay on as operational director along with production director Terry Clothier.

Mark said: "We have no plans to cut any jobs. We are more likely to take people on. We have fairly aggressive business plans in place and are looking to double the size of the business in the next couple of years."

The plan was to extend the range of products to the fast growing "snacking market", such as hot baked potatoes and soups using the same distribution channels.

"At the moment we have a very labour-intensive process and we shall continue that way because we have a specialist service, but we shall also invest tens of thousands of pounds."

The Salad Garden was established in 1992 and grew to the point where it moved into its purpose-built factory in Elvington in 2000.

It has a reputation for manufacturing high-quality, chilled, sandwich fillings and salads, using local produce where possible. The company is approved to the BRC Global Standard at the highest level and all staff regularly complete in-house training programmes on the importance and maintenance of high standards of food hygiene.

Helping Alan Hawley to seal the deal was regional chartered accountants and business advisers Clive Owen & Company, of Northminster Business Park in York.

Angus Allan, Clive Owen's corporate finance director, and Terry Doyle, partner, advised on the transaction and helped Alan to liaise with solicitors and the bank.

Updated: 11:43 Monday, October 11, 2004