Northern Foods’ proposed sale of its chilled pastry business could end its long running legal battle with the Melton Mowbray Pork Pie Association.

Its chilled division, which is now up for sale, includes its two Melton Mowbray pork pie plants in Shropshire and Trowbridge, Wiltshire.

Northern Foods has been fighting the Association’s bid to restrict production of Melton Mowbray pork pies to a 1,800 sq mile zone in the Melton Mowbray area of Leicester since 2004, and had many setbacks in the courts.

Chief executive Pat O’Driscoll told British Baker the case will progress while the businesses are under the ownership of Northern Foods. However, any new owner will have to decide how to take things forward.