Bradford jobs are to be scrapped after military top brass announced they are taking away a £150 million contract to feed our troops on the front line - and giving it to the company that makes Danish bacon.

Denmark is to now supply food for British troops after the Ministry of Defence announced yesterday that it was not renewing its deal with food service company 3663.

Instead the troops supplied by 3663 First for Food Service will now be fed by Danish food business Danish Bacon Company (DBC) under the new contractors Purple Foodservice Solutions Ltd, which will mean 38 Bradford jobs being scrapped, says union chief Steve Huckerby.

As DBC does not produce fresh fruit and vegetables it has handed the Bradford part of the new contract to Fresh Direct - with the nearest depot depots around the country- meaning employees at the Bradford depot will have to either move to other sites or be made redundant by their new employers.

The new contract begins on October 1.

3663, which also has factories in Scotland and Hampshire, was contracted to supply fresh fruit and vegetables from its Bradford base at Swithenbank Foods on Royds Dale Road.

Steve Huckerby, the regional organiser for the trade union GMB, said that the loss of the contract would ultimately result in the 38 factory workers losing their jobs.

"Its only a low-paid job so they are not going to put up with all that travelling," he said.

"If you were on £1,000 per week you would think about it, but they are only on low money."

As a result of the loss, GMB has held talks with company bosses in Bradford to get the best deal for staff affected - many of whom are union members.

"What we are trying to do is get them a good payment," said Mr Huckerby.

Heather Angus, the director of human resources at 3663 said: "3663 First for Food Service was disappointed to learn that the food supply contract for the MoD was not renewed.

"Under the new contract 3663 MoD-contracted personnel will transfer automatically under the legal obligations of TUPE to Purple Food Services.

"3663 is making no redundancies as a result of the loss of this contract.

"3663 has been extremely proud to supply Her Majesty's forces at home and overseas over the last nine years and would like to thank its employees for their hard work and dedication during this time."

Fred Barnes, the chief executive of the company posted a reaction to the loss on the company website when the news was announced.

"Of course we'd rather not have lost the MoD contact," he said.

The GMB said 3663 will also lose mean 220 jobs in Hampshire and 15 in Scotland will go.

Alan Black, the national officer of the GMB said: "We expect 3663 to put their hands in their pockets to fund enhanced redundancy terms to recognise the loyalty and contribution of GMB members employed on this contract for the past eight years who are going to lose their jobs."