Burton's MP is as keen as mustard to get "Made in Burton" on Colman's Mustard jars to join the famous ales brewed in the town.

His call came after Colman's announced yesterday, January 4, it was shutting its current plant in Norwich and switching production to Burton, where the firm's owner Unilever already produces yeast extract spread Marmite and meat drink Bovril.

Tory Andrew Griffiths said he was sad for the people in Norwich who would lose their jobs, which was echoed by the founding family of the famous yellow mustard who fear a "significant impact" as the company leaves Norwich after more than 200 years.

It is believed that Colman's mint sauce would also be produced in Burton along with the renowned mustard.

In total 43 manufacturing jobs will be created in Burton as a result of the move - which have been offered to any workers currently employed in Norwich - however, 113 jobs would be lost from Norfolk, with packaging also moving to Germany.

Andrew Griffiths, the MP for Burton has lauded the brewing standards in the town
Burton MP Andrew Griffiths

But Mr Griffiths said the move was good news for Burton where there were skilled workers. He also wanted to see the famous yellow and red label on the jars of mustard changed from Colman's of Norwich to 'Colman's of Burton' after the move.

He said he felt it would "only be fit and proper" to have 'Made in Burton-on-Trent" on Colman's mustard jars - when the move to the town in 2019 goes ahead.

He said: "The most important thing is the new jobs which would be created by the relocation.

"Burton already appears on labels around the world, on the many beers brewed in the town and on Marmite.

"It would only be fit and proper to have 'Made in Burton on Trent' on the mustard labels, if indeed it will be made here.

"I am in contact with Unilever to talk about the move and will be talking about exactly this."

There is joy for Burton, which is set to welcome another UK favourite along with 43 jobs - however Norwich is set to shed 113 jobs with 50 redundancies announced, after the condiment giant flees Norfolk after planting its roots in the town in 1814.

However, 25 jobs will be created at a new facility for the milling and packing of base ingredients mustard seeds and mint for production.

There has been a mixture of emotions in the UK as one of its most well-known brands announced it plans to move production from Norfolk to Staffordshire from next year. Packaging of the mustards will be switched to a Unilever plant in Germany also from 2019. Colmans' will however continue to source its mustard seeds in the Norwich area.

But it seems likely that the mustard jars will retain their 'Made in Norwich' label as the milling and packing of Colman's mustard powder and the processing of mint for its range of mint sauce will continue in that area.

The milling operation is set to move to a new state-of-the-art facility – jointly funded with the 22 growers who would supply the key ingredients, said a spokesman for the company.

Colman’s Mustard has been manufactured in Norwich since 1858
Colman’s Mustard has been manufactured in Norwich since 1858

This partnership includes the 18 mustard growers in the Fens of west Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire, who have been supplying seed to Colman's since the company began in 1814, and the consortium of four mint growers who gather 800 tonnes of the herb a year from within a 30-mile radius of Norwich.

Burton and District Chamber of Commerce divisional director Chris Plant said he was "delighted" and that the move solidified the town as a centre of excellence for traditional manufacuturing.

Chris Plant, director of the Burton and District Chamber of Commerce
Chris Plant, director of the Burton and District Chamber of Commerce

He told the Burton Mail: "Delighted to have another traditional British brand that has been in existence for over 160 years decide to make Burton it's home.

"We really are the centre of excellence for traditional manufacturing.

"Colman's and its history will compliment the modern hi-tech companies and innovators that are also choosing to set up here.

"Whilst we feel for those staff in Norfolk facing uncertain futures, we are sure that those who do relocate will enjoy everything East Staffordshire has to offer.

"We also have a highly skilled workforce locally ready to take advantage of our newest resident."

Meanwhile, Norwich South MP Clive Lewis said that he was angry at Unilever and was "gutted for the workforce".

Clive Lewis, the Member of Parliament for Norwich South
Clive Lewis, the Member of Parliament for Norwich South

He slammed Unilever, along with drinks giant Britvic, for being welcomed to Carrow Works, Norwich, with "great fanfare" and then parting ways showing their commitment "means literally nothing" and leaves many workers aged over 50 on the "job scrap heap".

Drinks manufacturing giant Britvic shares the Carrow Works site with Colman's in Norwich, but Britvic announced in December that it would be pulling out of Norfolk - with the loss of 249 jobs.

It was the announcement of this proposal in early October which triggered talks by Colman's to leave Norwich.

Britvic is most well-known for producing Robinsons and Fruit Shoot - these would be produced at their other sites in the UK.

It is also scheduled to leave the site by 2019 along with Colman's.

Mr Lewis told the Eastern Daily Press: "I am absolutely gutted for the workforce, gutted for Norwich and angry that these two corporations, Britvic and Unilever, came and took over Robinsons and Colman's to great fanfare about respecting the city and its heritage, and then 15 years later it means literally nothing.

"It is not just about those brands being iconic to Norwich, these are quality manufacturing jobs which are dying in this city."

Stephen Fry intervenes

Stephen Fry has called for Colman's to remain in Norwich
Stephen Fry has called for Colman's to remain in Norwich

The move has also been shot down by actor and comedian Stephen Fry, a former City College Norwich student, who implored Colman's to "take the tower from London, but leave our mustard".

He tweeted: "Norwich without #Colmans? Take the Tower from London, the RSC from Stratford and the potteries from Stoke, but leave our mustard in the fine city. A sad day. A sad day."

As it stands, Burton is already home to one of the UK's king of the condiments - Marmite, which began life as a mere bi-product of the town's roaring brewing trade in 1902.

It is thought that the manufacturing of Colman's mustard may move into the Wellington Road site, or onto a new vacant plot alongside the Burton plant where Marmite and Bovrilare made.

The area is already home to a flurry of other industry goliaths.

This includes Palletforce, DHL, Healthcare at Home, Marston’s Brewery, Holland & Barrett, Waterstones, FH Brundle, Hobbycraft, Clipper Logistics, Boots, Argos, and brewer Molson Coors.

The city 'deserves better than this' - Colman family lends its sympathies to the Norwich workers

Following the announcement of the Carrow Works closure in Norwich, the head of the Colman family - which started the company - Sir Timothy Colman, sent his sympathies to the disrupted workers and called the news "very sad indeed", saying that the city "deserved better than this".

Sir Timothy is the great-great-grandson of James Colman, nephew of founder Jeremiah Colman who established the business near Stoke Holy Cross in 1814.

It was brought to Carrow Works in 1858 by Jeremiah James Colman, Sir Timothy’s great-grandfather.

When Unilever first announced its review of the Norwich factory in October, Sir Timothy's son James suggested Unilever had put profits above tradition with "the hard-nosed pragmatism of big business".

This week he told the Eastern Daily Press: "This news is very sad indeed.

Sir Timothy Colman, the head of the Colman family, pictured in 2005
Sir Timothy Colman, the head of the Colman family, pictured in 2005

"I’m deeply sympathetic to those who will be affected.

"Unilever have made this decision for their own advantage and they will be judged on the generosity of their support for the employees affected."

"I do recognise that businesses have to keep up to date with the trading circumstances of the markets in which they operate.

"The immediate reaction of everybody is that if this has to happen, we are deeply concerned that Unilever is fair and generous in how it treats its employees.

He said in October: "I believe our fine independently-minded city deserves better treatment than this.

"In the overall scheme of Unilever’s masterplan this is small scale but the impact felt will be significant.

"It will score into the identity and culture of our past present and future."

Sir Timothy is a former Lord Lieutenant for Norfolk and was the chairman of Eastern Counties Newspapers Group between 1969 and 1996.

He worked in the family business himself, becoming manager of the Carrow factory under Reckitt and Colman, and later joining the board as a non-executive director.

The Colman family's involvement in the senior management of the business ended in 1995, the year it was sold to Unilever, when Sir Michael Colman’s tenure as chairman came to an end.

But how far is the commute from Norwich to Burton?

If current employees at the Carrow Works site in Norwich were to follow Colman's to Burton, they would face a potential six and a half hour round-trip to cover the 354-mile commute each day.

Colman's mustard moving to Burton
Picture: Yasmin Gunston Colman mustard moving to Burton Pictured: Unilever offices and factory on Wellington Road.

Google Maps predicts that the route from Carrow Works to the Unilever base in Wellington Road, Burton, is 177 miles through Cambridge and Coventry and takes three hours and 15 minutes to drive by car.

However, this route - the quickest - also includes a trip through the M6 toll at a cost of £5.90 each visit - that's just shy of £30 each working week at £29.50, let alone the cost of the petrol each week.

Alternatively, commuters could take the shorter, but slower, route via Derby and Nottingham which takes three hours and a half to drive by car and 157 miles - a round trip of 314 miles and taking seven hours.

A word from the unions representing the workers

The employees at risk at Colman's in Norwich total 43, nine of these are engineers and are represented by the Unite union.

These engineers have been offered jobs at the new milling plant set to be built near Norwich.

A Unite spokesman said that they were in talks with Unilever over these contracts, and would be going over and above to gain the best redundancy and support and transfer packages possible - if employees seek to take them.

The union spokesman felt that not many - if any - of the employees under its supervision would make the move to Burton

However, the remaining 36 workers were represented by the GMB union.

Warren Kenny, GMB regional secretary said that the news was "devastating" and is seeking an immediate meeting with Unilever.

He said: "This is absolutely devastating news for the workforce at Colman’s, for the city of Norwich and for manufacturing in East Anglia.

"GMB has just heard the news and it is our immediate intention to speak with our members at Unilever and to seek an immediate meeting with the company and local elected representatives to fully understand what has lead Unilever to make this devastating decision, and whether there are alternatives that should, and must be considered."

You'll be surprised at which products Unilever produces

Industry giant Unilever, which has a base in Wellington Road, Burton, produces far more than Marmite and Bovril, with a vast range of products under its ownership at plants across the world.

Colman's mustard moving to Burton
Picture: Yasmin Gunston Colman mustard moving to Burton Pictured: Unilever offices and factory on Wellington Road.

The company currently sits at 14th out of the UK businesses on the coveted FTSE 100 - a list of the 100 most profitable companies in the world out of those which members of the public may buy shares.

Its shares are valued at £4,077 as of 2pm on Friday, January 5.

But back to the companies which Unilever owns:

Bertolli - olive oil spreads

Comfort - fabric conditioner

Domestos - bleach

Dove - soap, lotions, body wash, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner

Flora - butter and margarine

Hellmann's mayonnaise
Hellmann's mayonnaise

Hellmann's - mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, salad dressings

Knorr - soups, stock cubes, seasonings and sauces

Lipton - leaf and ready-to-drink tea

Lynx - deodorants, shower gel, hair products and anti-perspirants

Lynx products
Lynx products

Magnum - ice cream

Matey - children's bubble bath

Persil - washing liquids, capsules, powder and tablet for laundry

Persil
Persil

Sure - deodorant, anti-perspirant and hygiene creams

Surf - laundry detergent

Toni & Guy - hair care and styling products

Alberto Balsam - shampoos, conditioners and hair styling products

Badedas - bath and shower products

Ben & Jerry's - ice cream

Ben & Jerry's ice cream
Ben & Jerry's ice cream

Brut - cologne, deodorant, anti-perspirant and shower gel

Carte D'or - ice cream

Unilever has two global headquarters, in London and Rotterdam in the Netherlands, it has been serving the UK for more than a century.

Its annual sales in the UK total around £1.7 billion (€2 billion).