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Closing factory workers paid to help at food bank
#Jacobs Douwe Egberts#Banbury factory closure#food bank volunteers#job losses#corporate social responsibility#economic transition#Oxfordshire#cost of living
📌 Key Takeaways
JDE closing Banbury factory by end of 2026 due to unviable maintenance costs
Workers being paid by JDE to volunteer at local food bank during transition
Food bank serves 200 people weekly and needs funds for new roof
Approximately 160 employees will lose jobs when factory closes
Factory has operated in Banbury for six decades since the 1960s
📖 Full Retelling
Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE), the Dutch coffee-making giant, will pay its workers to help at the Banbury Breadline Project food bank as it scales down production before closing its Oxfordshire factory by the end of 2026, after determining that maintaining the decades-old infrastructure is not financially viable. Teams of five workers have been allowed to volunteer at the local food bank while still receiving their regular pay from JDE, supporting vulnerable community members during the transition period. Andrew Wickham, who runs the food bank on Cherry Road, praised JDE's contribution, noting they've helped create a 'family atmosphere' at the facility that serves approximately 200 people weekly across its three operating days. The initiative comes as the Unite union has been assisting the food bank in fundraising efforts to build a new roof, addressing practical needs while also supporting displaced workers. Orion Phillips, one of the JDE employees participating in the volunteer program, shared his positive experience despite knowing he will lose his job when the factory closes in August—affecting about 160 employees total. Phillips found the experience 'heart-warming' to witness the food bank's impact on others, even though he hadn't needed to use it himself.
🏷️ Themes
Corporate Social Responsibility, Community Support, Economic Transition
Oxfordshire ( OKS-fərd-shər, -sheer; abbreviated Oxon) is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Gloucestershire to the west. The city of Oxford is th...
JDE Peet's N.V. is a Dutch multinational coffee and tea company headquartered in Amsterdam. The company owns over 50 beverage brands, mostly of coffee, tea and hot chocolate.
It was formed in 2015 following the merger of the coffee division of the American Mondelez International with the Dutch Douwe...
No entity connections available yet for this article.
Deep Analysis
Why It Matters
JDE's decision to close its Banbury plant after 60 years has significant economic and social implications for the town. By allowing workers to volunteer at the local food bank while still being paid, the company demonstrates a commitment to community support during a period of job loss. This arrangement highlights the role of businesses in mitigating the impact of industrial closures on vulnerable residents.
Context & Background
JDE's Banbury plant has operated for 60 years
The plant will close by end of 2026 due to maintenance costs
Employees are paid to volunteer at the local food bank
The food bank serves approximately 200 people weekly
What Happens Next
The factory is set to shut down in August 2026, after which the 160 displaced workers will need to find new employment or rely on unemployment support. The Banbury Breadline Project will keep operating, possibly expanding its reach as the town adapts to the factory's absence. JDE may also explore other community engagement initiatives in the region.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did JDE decide to close the Banbury plant?
Due to high maintenance costs of old infrastructure making it financially unviable.
How many workers will lose their jobs?
About 160 employees.
What is the role of the food bank?
It provides food assistance to vulnerable residents, serving about 200 people weekly.
Original Source
Closing factory workers paid to help at food bank 1 day ago Share Save Jamie Morris South of England, Banbury Share Save Workers at a factory due to close in Oxfordshire are being allowed by their employer to help at a local food bank while production scales down. Dutch coffee-making giant Jacobs Douwe Egberts will close its plant in Banbury this year, after six decades in the town. But teams of five workers have been allowed to work at the Banbury Breadline Project, while still being paid by JDE, to help support vulnerable members of the community. Owner and organiser of the food bank Andrew Wickham said he liked to create a "family atmosphere" and that JDE had been a "great help". More stories from Oxfordshire Watch the latest episode of South Today Listen to the latest news from Oxfordshire Mr Wickham said as well as volunteers, staff had approached the Unite union to gather funds for his food bank on Cherry Road to build a new roof. He said keeping people from queuing out of the rain was "a bonus for everybody", as they now see "200 people a week". "And we're only open three days a week," he added. Orion Phillips is one of the JDE employees helping out at Breadline on a Thursday and Friday. He is one of about 160 employees who will lose their job when the the factory closes in August. He said he had not needed to use one himself, "but seeing what it can do for people has been heart-warming". JDE said closing the site - which first opened as a General Foods plant in the 1960s and employed thousands at its peak - was "not an easy decision to take". They said a review found the costs involved in maintaining the decades-old infrastructure was "not financially viable". A spokesperson from JDE Peet's said: "As we move ahead with the planned closure of the Banbury site by the end of 2026, colleagues have had the opportunity to volunteer some of their time toward local causes. "They chose to offer their help to the Breadline Project, and we are pleased to have been able...
