Eskimo Frozen Foods has insisted it is still trading even though it has been hit by supply problems and its online ordering service has not worked for weeks.

The company, which launched last September, was continuing to take weekly orders by phone and was working to resolve stock problems after it failed to receive an expected order from Eismann Germany, a spokeswoman said.

However, suppliers told The Grocer they had been left out of pocket.

Eddie Hoad, MD of Korker Sausages, said the company had not been paid for most of a large order after 90 days and was now chasing the debt through solicitors.

Another supplier said it had stopped supplying Eskimo months ago after it was “messed around” with payments.

The Grocer has also learned former Spar MD Jerry Marwood, who was chairman, “withdrew from the business some months ago”. MD Ian Matthews has also left.

Eskimo’s website does not display products and can no longer be used for orders, while the only picture on its homepage is a link to its Christmas catalogue. The spokeswoman said this was due to a “technical issue that they can’t resolve”.

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