Coronavirus: Müller seeking up to 300 workers to cope with ‘strong’ demand

• It is seeking 100 recruits for its Milk & More delivery service, which has seen a “record” level of sign-ups

• Müller has significantly raised total output to meet the surge in demand 

• It comes as growers, retailers and companies such as Moy Park look to hire additional staff

Müller has mounted a UK-wide recruitment drive for 300 extra workers to meet surging demand amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The dairy giant is seeking personnel for both its milk and yoghurt & desserts arms, as well as 100 recruits for its Milk & More delivery service.

It said it had seen “strong” demand for its fresh milk, yoghurts and butter, while Milk & More had seen a “record” level of sign-ups, with 25,000 new customers in the past week alone.

Extra workers were needed as it had significantly raised total output to meet the surge in demand and because some of its staff had had to be absent through self-isolation, it added.

“Dairy is the cornerstone of Britain’s food industry, so our products and supply chain have a major role to play in helping to feed the nation. This is no longer simply a duty, this is now an obligation,” said Müller Yogurt & Desserts CEO Bergen Merey.

“Our message is simple. If you’re available and have the necessary skills and qualifications, then we’d love to hear from you.”

It’s not the only major food and drink business looking to take on extra staff as the coronavirus outbreak hits Britain: last week, major poultry supplier Moy Park, for instance, advertised hundreds of temporary roles in its operations.

Fruit & veg growers, meanwhile, have also upped their efforts to hire UK seasonal workers, as border restrictions in some countries and a lack of commercial flights have hampered efforts to get migrant workers into the country.

Retailers, too, have sought extra staff to help them cope with the strain caused by panic buying.