An international food company has switched its operations and up to 100 staff to new offices a few miles from the old ones.

AB World Foods - formed by the merger of G Costa and Patak’s - has moved its UK southern hub from Aylesford to Kings Hill, West Malling.

The company, part of Associated British Foods, manufactures, imports and distributes well-known retail ethnic brands such as Blue Dragon, Pataks and Reggae Reggae. It also distributes products such as Tabasco and Maille.

It employs more than 500 staff across all operations, with between 90 and 100 moving from Aylesford to Kings Hill. The company took the chance to move locally when the lease on its Aylesford premises ended and nearly 14,000 sq ft of suitable alternative accommodation became available at Kings Hill.

"We wanted to relocate to a site where we could improve our working conditions and retain as many of our current staff as possible and as Kings Hill is only five miles away from our old offices, this was ideal," said managing director Andy Mayhew.

Kings Hill is celebrating one of its best years ever, having completed property deals on 156,000 sq ft of office space in the first six months of 2008.

Andrew Blevins, managing director of Kings Hill developer Liberty Property Trust UK,said: "We are delighted that such an exciting and innovative company has moved to Kings Hill.

"We have had a very good year here, despite the economic climate, and are now planning our next phase of new office buildings."

Associated British Foods is one of Europe¹s largest food companies with global sales of £8.2 billion and 96,000 employees in 44 countries.