ABOUT 200 jobs have been lost through the closure of a produce company on the Eurolink industrial estate in Sittingbourne. MacLeod McCombe, which operated from a large unit at Castle Road, closed its doors today.

Most workers had already been laid off. A skeleton staff of about 20 was kept on to wind the business up, but they were also expected to be made redundant after final orders had been completed. The company imported fresh fruit and vegetables and supplied them to supermarkets.

It had been operating in Sittingbourne for three years, but traded for 38 years. It once had a turnover of more than £72million.

The closure came after two years of difficult market conditions.

Managing director Kirsty Baker said: "This is a devastating decision for us, our staff and suppliers around the world."

She said customers had rationalised their supplier base, taken more direct deliveries and sourced more products themselves, and the company simply could not afford to continue.

She said: "Substantial losses would be incurred if we attempted to maintain our position under the current trading conditions. Without alternative sources of income, this is not sustainable and therefore, we have no choice but to cease trading."

MacLeod McCombe started trading from a stand at Spitalfields Market in 1963. Joint liquidators have been named as David Gilbert and Andrew Pepper, of BDO Stoy Hayward Business Recovery Services, London.