A POTATO factory with three sites in Fenland has received the most prestigious award for business performance. Hugh Duberly, Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, presented the Queen s Award for Innovation to Greenvale after the company demonstrated commerci

A POTATO factory with three sites in Fenland has received the most prestigious award for business performance.

Hugh Duberly, Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire, presented the Queen's Award for Innovation to Greenvale after the company demonstrated commercial success through innovative products or services.

Senior management, including chief executive Alan Owens, gathered for the presentation at their headquarters at Floods Ferry, March, last Thursday.

It was preceded by a tour of the site, which was requested by Mr Duberly so he could meet the people who make the business work.

Greenvale, which also operates from Wisbech and Chatteris, has been responsible for a number of technological advances, which have improved significantly the quality of potatoes supplied to the public.

One of these is its restrain generators, which prevent potatoes from sprouting by using natural methods instead of spraying them with chemicals.

The award was accepted by Andy Behagg, Greenvale finance director, who said: "This award is first and foremost in recognition of all the demand, hard work, dedication and commitment of the 750 staff at all of our sites.

"We would like to thank them all. Without them we would not exist."

Mr Owens said: "This is the culmination of many years hard work by everyone working at Greenvale AP and a recognition of our achievements within the industry.

"We pride ourselves on being thoroughly professional in everything that we do and take our responsibilities to the local communities in which we operate very seriously.