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BEST RATES IN UK... Labour Hire supply reliable, vetted candidates throughout the UK. Whether you require a single operative or full site coverage temporary, contract or permanent, Labour Hire delivers a cost-effective solution for all your recruitment needs. We provide high quality personnel at short notice who are committed to delivering exceptional standards of workmanship and reliability.
Level One, Basecamp Liverpool, 49 Jamaica Street, Liverpool, Merseyside, L1 0AH
+ 9 other offices
Reed are here to help you take your next step in the world of work, whatever it is. From recruiting talented individuals across 20 sectors for a permanent, temporary, or interim role; to recruiting at scale, and screening, your local recruiter have a solution that will ensure your business thrives. Alternatively, if you're looking to take the next step in your career, or break into a completely new sector, our experts can help.
First Floor, One Derby Square, Liverpool, Merseyside, L2 9QR
+ 62 other offices
Morgan Ryder Associates provides staffing solutions for clients in the Manufacturing, Engineering and third-party Logistics industry. Formed in 2002, the agency offers temporary and permanent recruitment in sectors such as Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Rail systems, Precision Engineering, FMCG, Waste Processing, Packaging, Warehousing, CPI, Pharmaceutical, Capital Equipment and Construction. They are based in Liverpool and work across the UK.
3 Paramount Business Park, Liverpool, Merseyside, L36 6AW
Pay rates in Merseyside reflect strong demand for production, hygiene and logistics. Entry level production operatives often sit around £11.50 to £13.50 per hour, with hygiene operatives in a similar band, line leaders and supervisors tend to run £28,000 to £35,000, quality roles such as QA and QC are commonly £26,000 to £32,000, food technologists and NPD roles can reach £35,000 to £50,000 depending on experience, warehouse and FLT roles usually track local logistics rates, HGV work can sit higher for nights and tramping. Recruitment fees for permanent hires are often a percentage of salary, many employment firms quote bands between 12 percent and 20 percent depending on scarcity and volume, agency costs for temps vary by margin, pay type and PPE or transport needs. If you need to hire staff at pace, recruiters can advise on pay benchmarks, shift premiums and overtime patterns that support retention.
Food and drink in Merseyside spans chilled ready meals, ambient groceries, beverages and cold chain support. Liverpool is home to well known brand owners and buyers, with manufacturing and packing dotted across Knowsley Industrial Park, Haydock and Speke. The Port of Liverpool underpins import routes for ambient and chilled goods, with warehousing, cross docking and temperature controlled storage close to the docks and the motorway network. This mix keeps local employers busy year round and gives candidates a steady flow of vacancies across production, packing and logistics.
Hiring patterns shift by borough. Liverpool, Sefton, Wirral, Knowsley and St Helens each draw from different commuter routes. Knowsley Industrial Park and Haydock attract candidates from the M57, M62 and A580 corridors, Birkenhead and Wallasey feed Wirral sites, Bootle and the docks pull candidates from North Liverpool, Speke and Garston lean on South Liverpool and Widnes links. Merseyrail, the Kingsway and Queensway tunnels, and the East Lancs Road all shape travel time, so recruitment consultants will map shifts against buses and first train times to reduce lateness and churn.
Most factory and warehouse roles ask for basic numeracy, strong attendance and the ability to follow written instructions. A Level 2 Food Safety certificate helps for production and prep roles, HACCP awareness is valued by QA, technical and team leaders, allergen awareness is now common even for packers and pickers who handle labelled goods. FLT roles need valid licences from recognised bodies, HGV requires the correct class and CPC. For kitchen and catering, Level 2 or Level 3 Food Hygiene remains the norm. Recruiters and temp agencies will advise on refresher training and simple pre employment checks that speed up onboarding.
Food businesses here work to Food Standards Agency guidance on hygiene, cleaning, temperature control and traceability. Prepacked for direct sale rules under Natasha’s Law mean clear ingredient and allergen labelling, so staff in packing and labelling need accurate record keeping. Some clients ask for a Basic DBS for roles in schools, hospitals or care sites, most factory roles do not need this, but right to work checks and health and safety inductions are standard. Employment firms placing technical staff will discuss BRCGS audit requirements, pest control protocols, PPE use and clean room routines during briefing.
Recruitment agencies and staffing agencies in Merseyside cover production operatives, machine minders, line leaders, hygiene operatives, FLT drivers, pickers and packers, warehouse supervisors, HGV drivers, QA and QC technicians, specifications technologists, NPD assistants, technical managers, planners, stock controllers, chefs and catering staff for contract catering and events. Executive search teams may handle site managers, head of technical, head of operations and senior NPD appointments. Candidates can register with an agency for temporary, permanent or contract work, with clear guidance on shifts, locations and PPE.
Night shifts and weekend work can stretch the available workforce, cold environments and strict cleaning routines deter some applicants, and qualified maintenance engineers, experienced QA staff and HGV drivers are hard to find. Local employers often widen catchments along the M62 and M58, or run minibus pick up from Liverpool and St Helens. Recruitment consultants will stress realistic start times, paid inductions, and early communication of rota changes, all of which help retention through peak periods.
Peaks arrive with retail events and shipping cycles. Easter, summer soft drinks runs, barbecue lines, Halloween and Christmas all drive overtime and short notice assignments. Port schedules can trigger bursts in ambient and chilled throughput, so temp agencies maintain standby pools for pick, pack and hygiene. Jobseekers who can switch between days and nights tend to secure regular hours during these windows, and businesses that plan pay uplifts and early booking with recruiters find it easier to keep experienced teams through the rush.
Short courses support safer hiring. Level 2 Food Safety, Allergen Awareness and basic HACCP are fast to complete and popular with jobseekers, Level 3 suits supervisors and QA. Manual handling, COSHH and chemical awareness are common modules for hygiene teams, FLT and PPT certifications help in cross dock and warehouse roles. Agencies can arrange training or signpost local providers so new starters hit the ground running.
A production operative can grow into a line leader within a year with strong attendance and process knowledge, QA technicians often progress into specifications or customer compliance, warehouse operatives move into stock control and planning, chefs in contract catering can step into unit manager roles, technologists and NPD assistants can grow into product developer and senior technologist paths. Employers who offer structured coaching, clean handovers and fair pay reviews see better retention and fewer gaps in the rota.
How fast can food recruitment agencies in Merseyside supply temps for a shift change tonight?
Many agencies keep vetted workers on standby lists for late shifts, ring early with headcount needs and you can often fill the gap the same day.
Do I need a DBS check for factory roles in a standard food plant?
Most factory roles do not need DBS checks, education and healthcare sites may ask for a Basic check, speak to your recruiter during briefing.
What information helps recruitment consultants find employees quickly?
Share exact shift times, PPE needs, site access rules, pay rates, overtime policy, training on day one, and a named contact for sign off.
Can jobseekers register with an agency for both warehouse and production work?
Yes, many candidates pick up mixed shifts across packing, hygiene and picking, that flexibility boosts weekly hours and improves prospects.
How do recruitment fees work for permanent hires in this market?
Most recruiters charge a percentage of salary with rebates on early leavers, discuss volume rates if you plan multiple hires across the season.
Agency Central brings together food recruitment agencies in Merseyside, so local businesses can hire staff with less effort, and candidates can register with an agency that understands their shift patterns and travel options. Whether you need temp agencies for a weekend run, or executive search for senior technical leadership, you can compare recruiters, talk through recruitment fees and agency costs, and move quickly in a busy labour market.