AMBITIOUS expansion plans at a North Yorkshire food company have won the praise of a local MP.

Nigel Adams, who represents Selby and Ainsty, visited Pecan Deluxe Candy in Sherburn in Elmet.

The company specialises in the development and supply of bespoke ingredients to bakery, ice cream, dessert, breakfast and snack industries, as well as other market sectors.

Bosses say they expect to spend more than £3 million across its European operations in the next 18 months.

Graham Kingston, MD of the company’s Europe and Asia Pacific regions, said: “Pecan Deluxe is investing heavily in infrastructure, facilities and staff in order to consolidate the company’s reputation as a global ‘food tailor’, creating custom-engineered solutions according to localised tastes and legislation.”

He added: “I am totally committed to the ongoing development of the company, especially maximising relationships between western and eastern markets to the ultimate benefit of both geographies.”

On his visit to the Sherburn in Elmet base on Friday, the MP was given a tour of the production facilities - which are currently going through an upgrade development programme to help meet evolving trends for new flavours and food solutions.

He also heard about the work of Pecan Deluxe’s food technologists.

Mr Adams said: “My visit to Pecan Deluxe Candy was fascinating, with discussions encompassing issues such as employment, investment, export and import implications amongst other topics.

“It’s very gratifying to see a Yorkshire based company such as this investing in... developments in order to fulfil its aim of being the leading food ingredient innovator across Europe and APAC.”

The company was established in the UK in 1999 and is a fully owned UK subsidiary of US-based Pecan Deluxe Candy Company, a family owned business founded in 1950.

In conjunction with a sister facility in Thailand, the UK based company supplies all of Europe, the Middle and Far East and Australia-Pacific with ingredients and flavours including cookie dough, flavoured fudges, moulded chocolate pieces and biscuit chunks.