Pre - close trading update

Real Good Food Company Plc (The) 19 December 2007 Real Good Food Group plc Pre-close trading update Trading conditions, in all divisions, have proved to be more challenging than originally expected but the Group continues to trade profitability and generate positive cash flow from operations. Accordingly, for the year to 31 December 2007 normalised profits before tax are expected to be not less than £6.0m (£4.0m on continuing operations), equivalent to post tax earnings per share of approximately 6.5 pence. Stephen Heslop was appointed as the Group's new Managing Director in September, and as a consequence of the more demanding market conditions, is leading a comprehensive review of each of the divisions. The Executive team will be strengthened at the start of January 2008 by the appointment of Tony Sharpe, formerly Managing Director of G & J Greenall, to lead the Bakery ingredients division. In the past year, action has been taken to address the significant inflation in some raw material prices by, where possible, passing rising costs on to customers and implementing a programme to provide more effective purchasing and inventory management. These processes will continue to accrue benefits into the next financial year. The proceeds from the sale of Five Star Fish in June, together with positive operational cash flow, has enabled the Group to significantly reduce debt levels, leaving resultant current year debt/EBITDA levels at less than 2.6 times. The EU sugar market continues to make slow progress with regard to voluntarily reducing production levels; however the regulatory framework in place for 2008/9 will bring about further market restructuring. The Board continues to believe that thereafter significant opportunities will exist for Napier Brown to leverage its strong market position with regard to global access to the EU marketplace leading to an improvement in margin. Despite the economic outlook for 2008 being somewhat uncertain, and the widely publicised view that the UK consumer will become more prudent in relation to household expenditure, the Board is expecting continuing operations profitability for the next financial year to be in line with the 2007 performance. 19th December 2007 Enquiries: Real Good Food plc Tel: 020 7335 2500 Stephen Heslop, Chief Executive Lee Camfield, Finance Director College Hill Tel: 020 7457 2020 Anthony Parker Gareth David This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
UK 100

Latest directors dealings