By Bryan Kay

AT LEAST three bids have been tabled for collapsed Dundee food processing and freezing company Alpine Foods, with one buyer reputedly lined up to take over, The Courier understands.

It emerged one of the offers was placed by city property developer Bruce Linton (pictured) of James Keillor Estates, although the favourite bidder is believed to be a consortium of farmers—their livelihoods rely on their produce being held at the huge cold storage unit.

It is understood that if Mr Linton were to secure the Wester Gourdie industrial estate premises, he would be looking at possible redevelopment.

Last week administrators Dermot Power and Toby Underwood, of BDO Stoy Hayward, faxed businesses with stock stored in the plant telling them they should be ready to move it by today.

The warning was seen as a crucial juncture in negotiations to secure a buyer ready to step in and continue what is seen as a viable business.

James Keillor Estates property manager Eric Stark, confirming Mr Linton’s interest, said the bid had been placed around two weeks ago and his feeling was that a consortium of farmers was ready to take over.

“Bruce made them an offer and their agent came back and said that they had a buyer lined up who was going to run it as a going concern,” he told The Courier.

“I strongly suspect, although I don’t know for sure, that it may be a consortium of farmers. They really can’t afford to see it go because their transport costs will go through the roof and these are businesses where margins are on the thin side.”

Alpine insiders also cited Frigo Scandia Cold Store, another cold stores business now known as Celsius First, as an interested party.

A spokeswoman for the administrators would neither confirm nor deny Mr Linton’s offer yesterday and refused to comment on whether a buyer had been secured for Alpine or on the number of bids on the table.

However, she said that the administrators remained determined to sell Alpine on to a buyer which intended to continue to utilise its assets in the same industry.

“The current situation is we are still looking to sell the business as a going concern. We are in touch with several interested parties.”

The administrators have been guarded in their handling of the fallen company, permitting the release of only very limited information about the sale.