Holmesterne Foods has collapsed into administration with the loss of 130 jobs, after a rescue attempt by Leeds-based Troy Foods failed.
Foodservice company Troy Foods Group had bought Holmesterne in a distressed sale in July 2025, as soaring input costs put the company finances in jeopardy.
A turnaround strategy put in place immediately after the acquisition was unable to reverse falling sales at the meat and roasted veg supplier. With cashflow severely limited, creditor pressure mounted, and Holmesterne was served a winding-up petition by meat wholesaler GPS Food in late April 2026.
On 11 May, administrators James Clark and Howard Smith from insolvency firm Interpath were appointed after “all available options” were exhausted, Interpath said.
The pair have now commenced an orderly wind-down of operations, with only a skeleton crew from the Holmesterne staff set to assist them.
Clark told The Grocer it was a “real shame” to see Holmesterne enter administration after all the efforts and “renewed optimism” of the Troy Foods deal.
“Despite the best efforts of both the management team and the new owners, the headwinds facing the business sadly proved too challenging to overcome,” he said.
“Our immediate priority is to support employees through this difficult period, and we will be doing all we can to assist them in the days and weeks ahead.”
Administrators have yet to reveal how much bad debt will be left with creditors.
The Grocer contacted Troy Foods’ MD for comment.
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