The family behind Ginsters pasties and Soreen malt loaf has received a £15 million dividend despite claiming furlough cash from the Government during Covid.
Leicestershire-based Samworth Brothers, which employs 10,000 people, made the payment after sales at the company rose 11 per cent to £1.2billion.
The company, chaired by Mark Samworth, swung to a £17million profit in the year to January, from a £32million loss the previous year.
Payout: The family behind Ginsters pasties has received a £15 million dividend despite claiming furlough cash from the Government during Covid
The interim dividend was paid in the same period that the 126-year-old group claimed more than £1.7million to put staff on furlough during the pandemic.
In total, the firm has received £13million of taxpayers’ money for furlough over two years.
Paying dividends while claiming furlough was frowned upon by politicians and campaigners throughout the pandemic.
The business benefited from a surge in demand as Covid restrictions forced households to dine at home.
Founded by George Samworth in 1869, it has become one of the biggest suppliers of chilled foods and ready meals to supermarkets, including Melton Mowbray pork pies.
In recent years it has grown significantly with new factories and the acquisition of more brands, including premium pie and quiche brand Higgidy, which it bought in 2020.
