DOZENS of jobs could be lost at a Selby food company after a major contract with a national supermarket chain was lost.

English Village Salads (EVS), based at Camblesforth, employs about 230 people, and produces loose and pre-packaged salads for supermarkets including Asda.

But a spokesman for the copmany said the decision by Asda to make the majority of their salads in-house meant the company had entered 90-day redundancy consultation with most members of staff.

The spokesman said: “Following a strategic review, Asda has elected to take a substantial part of their salads procurement to their in-house operation. This will have a significant effect on the volume through the EVS business.

“Despite growth with other customers in both the retail and foodservice sector, the business has no option but to consult with staff in order to adjust the scale of its operation.

The spokesman said the company would consult all hourly-paid staff at the Selby site and its factory in Newport.

He said 203 hourly-paid employees were at risk, with up to 84 hourly-paid redundancies. He also said that 47 of the 68 salaried employees were also at risk, with 23 facing redundancy.

The news comes only days after it was announced the 17 staff at the Focus DIY store in Selby looked likely to lose their jobs, after the chain went into administration, and the town’s branch was not bought out in a rescue deal.

The EVS spokesman said: “We fully appreciate that this is a difficult time for everyone concerned and would like to stress that this action is no reflection on the commitment and hard work of staff at EVS.

“The only objective is to ensure the long-term viability and sustainability of EVS, and we are liaising closely with employee representatives and the union on the consultation.”

Selby council leader Mark Crane said: “It is very disappointing news. English Village Salads are a big local employer who have been a success story and I’m saddened to hear the news about the Asda contract today. At this late hour, if there’s anything that could be done to make Asda change their mind, the council would certainly like to help them do that.”