MW Brands, owner of the leading UK tuna brand John West, is working with the Seychelles government to build new housing for 1,400 of its foreign employees, according to The Grocer.
MW Brands and the Seychelles government jointly own Indian Ocean Tuna (IOT), a large tuna cannery on the Seychelles island, Mahé.
The government will create an “ex-pat village†for the foreign workers – who make up 60% of MW Brands’ Seychelles workforce and largely come from India, Kenya, Madagascar, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Thailand. The village will be built beside the IOT factory and is estimated to cost between EUR 7-9 million.
IOT will rent the land and buildings, which will be a change to the current situation that has led to logistical challenges and varying standards of living. Currently, IOT houses the workers in rented accommodation located across the island and IOT has to chase landlords to maintain the properties. IOT also has to currently make deliveries to each house when there are water shortages.
The new housing will include bedrooms, a communal area and a dining area. The first block is expected to be completed next year.
As of Jan. 1, about 2000 workers at the IOT factory also received a pay raise of between 5% and 24%. MW Brands group plants director said the additional income is to deter good workers from leaving the company. He added this would not affect the price of the company’s tuna as savings would be made in other areas of the business.