Birmingham-based 2 Sisters Food Group, which runs Holland’s Pies and Fox’s Biscuits, said avian influenza impacted its financial results for the year ending 1 August 2015.

2 Sisters Food Group said in its annual report last week that the onslaught of avian influenza, negative consumer sentiment following campylobacter reporting and food deflation meant that losses on ordinary activities had hit £36.3m for the year, up from £21.7m the previous year. 

Turnover for the 52 weeks to 2 August 2015 hit £944.8m, down from £992.7m, and gross profit was £45.9m, down from £75.9m the previous year.

Stephen Leadbeater, chief financial officer at 2 Sisters, said: “The company has developed contingency plans should an outbreak of avian influenza occur in close proximity to any of its operational facilities and has operations spread geographically throughout the UK to minimise risk.”

In March, 2 Sisters Food Group appointed Martyn Fletcher, previously group retail director at Morrisons, to the newly-created role of chief operating officer of protein.