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More than 70 million meals a year could soon be created from a new Derby mega-kitchen.

Catering and hospitality company Compass Group has launched a new Cuisine Centre in Derby, which is set to open in late 2026 and produce millions of meals each year.

The 10,000-square metre large centre will be located at SmartParc SEGRO Derby, a £300m investment in a brownfield site in Spondon to create a 155‑acre food manufacturing and distribution site.

The facility is set to produce five specialist ranges named Moreish, Medley, Nurture, Steamplicity, and Esteem with the aim of exploring opportunities to increase regional sourcing.

Its range includes over 200 options for mains, sides and desserts, created in partnership between chefs and dietitians.

Meals will be distributed to schools, hospitals and workplaces, with a number of menus available to tailor to the needs of each audience.

Charles Brown, interim CEO at Compass Group UK & Ireland, said: "The new Cuisine Centre is a significant step forward for our business, allowing us to scale up our existing operations through a larger, more advanced facility.

"The scale and capability of the new facility brings more production in-house, strengthening supply continuity, delivering greater supply chain resilience, and enhancing our ability to deliver high‑quality, nutritious meals produced responsibly and at scale.

“We are a large and diverse business that has the dexterity to meet specific market demands within the sectors we operate.

"This facility meets a specific need case, for delivering consistent, quality, nutritious meals in a safe and controlled environment, reducing allergen risks, as well as giving time back to kitchen teams."

Jackie Wild, SmartParc SEGRO Derby, said: "Compass Group’s new Cuisine Centre is exactly the kind of investment SmartParc SEGRO Derby was designed to support.

"The development brings advanced food production, shared infrastructure and lower-carbon operational benefits together on a regenerated brownfield site, giving businesses the space and flexibility to modernise how they produce food.

"We look forward to seeing the facility become an important part of Compass Group’s future production network and of Derby’s growing food manufacturing sector."