Martin Brown has joined Whitakers Chocolates in Skipton as national food service sales manager.

He has more than 17 years’ experience in the catering food sector and has joined from AB World Foods. He spent the last five years as an account manager within the food service division.

From 1993 to 2003, Mr Brown was employed by RHM working for Manor Bakeries which produces Mr Kipling, Cadbury and Lyons Cakes. He worked within the retail, wholesale and cash and carry sectors and spent the last three years as a business develop-ment manager within Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda, Safeway and Bradford-based Morrisons.

William Whitaker, managing director of Whitakers Chocolates, said: “Martin joins the company at an exciting time with production increasing to two million chocolates a day and turnover expected to be close to £11m this year.”