Cummins Confidential Special : Portable Foods Manufacturing / Kelloggs / Kellanova – Barefaced Liar Gemma Penk’s New Venture

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Let’s get down to it. Kelloggs has been churning out sugary crap while chewing up workers and spitting them out like yesterday’s breakfast. When I worked at Cummins, the engine-behemoth where integrity is optional, so did Gemma Penk. She was one of the snakes in the grass who slithered her way through my dismissal with lies thicker than engine oil. Dishonest doesn’t even cover it – she twisted facts, ignored evidence, edited key documents and played the HR game like a pro con artist. And now? The witch has landed at Portable Foods Manufacturing Company Limited, a sneaky little subsidiary of Kellanova (that’s Kellogg’s rebranded bullshit, for those not keeping score). Yeah, the same outfit peddling Rice Krispie Squares and other portable poison to the masses from their Wrexham lair in North Wales. If you thought Cummins was bad, wait until you see the rot festering in this snack empire. We’re talking discrimination, job carnage, recalls that could kill, antitrust probes, and whispers of child labour that make your stomach turn. Buckle up – this is going to get ugly.

The Penk Pipeline: From Cummins Corruption to Kellanova’s HR Hell

First things first, let’s nail down the facts on Gemma Penk, because I won’t let her slink away without the spotlight. Penk was knee-deep in HR at Cummins Inc. for over six years, climbing the ranks to Investigations Manager. She handled grievances (sometimes, others she ignored), probes, and yes, dismissals – including playing a significant role in mine, where her “thorough” investigations were more about thoroughly destroying anything incriminating. Court docs from Cummins cases show her popping up in tribunals, like in my own in 2024 – Thompson v Cummins Ltd, where she was tagged as a Senior HR Generalist covering dodgy HR moves. But here’s the kicker: by February 2024, she’d jumped ship to Kellanova, and now she’s HR Manager at Portable Foods Manufacturing in Wrexham. LinkedIn posts from her own feed brag about “wrapping up summer” at Portable Foods, celebrating milestones like 12 months without a first-aid incident – as if that’s something to crow about in a factory grinding workers to dust.

Why the move? Who knows – maybe Cummins got too hot after all those employment tribunals. But landing at Portable Foods? That’s like trading one sweatshop overseer gig for another. Portable Foods, established in 1998 and wholly owned by Kellanova, churns out those addictive cereal bars from a sprawling site on Wrexham Industrial Estate. And Penk? She’s right in the thick of it, posting about Christmas lights twinkling atop the factory and team nights out. Cute, right? Until you peel back the layers and see the scandals she’s now complicit in. If she was dishonest at Cummins, imagine the bullshit she’s peddling now to cover Kellanova’s arse. This isn’t just a career hop – it’s a fresh start in a company rotten to the core, and it’s time to drag it all into the light.

Disability Discrimination Fiasco: Ignoring Mental Health in the Meat Grinder

Portable Foods might sound innocuous – hell, “portable foods” evokes lunchbox treats – but dig into their employment record, and it’s a fucking horror show. Take the case of Mr G. Evans, a former employee who dragged them to an employment tribunal in 2023. Evans claimed disability discrimination under the UK Equality Act 2010, alleging the company failed to make reasonable adjustments for his PTSD, anxiety, and depression. We’re talking incidents dating back to 2014-2015, where shift changes allegedly worsened his condition, and a refusal to assign alternative duties. Fast forward to 2022, and they supposedly botched his return from sick leave, then delayed vouchers meant for long-term sick employees in late 2023.

The tribunal, heard in Cardiff in June 2024, ultimately dismissed the claims as out of time – no extension granted, despite Evans citing his mental health and fear of retribution as reasons for the delay. Portable Foods argued faded records and prejudice in defending old claims, blaming a postal glitch for the voucher hold-up. But let’s call it what it is: a damning indictment of their HR practices. Evans described feeling like a “zombie” on meds, terrified of rocking the boat at work. Even if the claims weren’t upheld, it screams of a culture that treats mental health like an inconvenience, not a priority. And with Penk now at the helm of HR? You can bet this shit won’t improve. Allegedly, of course.

Job Carnage: Factory Closures and the Human Cost

Kellanova loves to tout growth, but their track record on jobs is a bloodbath. In February 2024, they announced plans to shutter the Trafford Park factory in Greater Manchester by 2026, axing 360 roles. That’s hundreds of families thrown under the bus in the name of “cost-cutting,” accelerated after spinning off their cereal arm in 2023. Union reps called it devastating, and rightly so – these aren’t numbers; they’re livelihoods.

But it’s not new. Back in 2014, Kellogg’s (pre-Kellanova) threatened 140 jobs at the Wrexham plant, Portable Foods’ home turf. They halved the cuts after consultations, but the fear and uncertainty? That lingers like a bad smell. And let’s not forget the US side, where Kellanova’s racked up millions in wage and hour violations – a whopping $16.75 million penalty in 2018 for federal labour breaches. While UK-specific fines are scarcer, the pattern’s clear: squeeze workers, cut corners, and move on. Penk, fresh from Cummins’ own HR headaches, fits right in – overseeing a workforce that’s disposable in Kellanova’s eyes. It’s enraging, it’s unjust, and it’s happening right now in North Wales.

Choking on Profits: Recalls and Safety Scares

You’d think a company slinging food would prioritise safety, but Kellanova’s history says otherwise. In May 2024, they recalled Chocolate Corn Flakes over “hard lumps” that posed a choking hazard. They downplayed it as affecting a “small proportion” of boxes with “minimal risk,” but come on – that’s corporate spin for “we fucked up.” Consumers could chip teeth or worse, and it’s not isolated.

Portable Foods’ Wrexham site has its own chequered past. In 2012, a fire halted production of cereal bars for a full day, losing 10 tonnes of product. Another blaze in 2010 disrupted All-Bran output for hours. These aren’t minor hiccups; they’re signs of sloppy operations in a high-risk environment. Food manufacturing’s riddled with hazards – lockout/tagout failures, mobile equipment accidents, slips – and Kellanova’s OSHA violations in the US (over $123,000 in penalties since 2000) hint at global sloppiness. No major UK scandals on record for Portable Foods’ hygiene (they scored “Very Good” in a 2025 FSA inspection), but with Penk in HR, who’s watching the watchers? This shit could kill, and they’re still pushing product.

Antitrust Shenanigans: The Mars Mega-Merger Mess

Kellanova’s not just dodging worker rights; they’re playing monopoly with the snack world. In 2025, the European Commission launched a full-scale probe into Mars’ $36 billion bid for Kellanova, fearing market dominance in crisps and bars. Shares dipped amid rumours, and Reuters called it a “full-scale EU antitrust investigation.” If it goes through, expect price hikes and less choice – all while factories close and jobs vanish.

This follows Kellogg’s 2022 court flop against UK high-sugar cereal rules, where they challenged bans on promos like BOGOFs for junk like Coco Pops. They lost, but it exposed their pushback against health regs. Portable Foods, churning out those sugary squares, is smack in the middle. Penk’s new venture? A cartel in waiting, allegedly manipulating markets while workers pay the price. It’s outrageous – a company more focused on mergers than morals.

Shadows of Exploitation: Child Labour Allegations

Here’s where it gets truly vile. Kellanova’s been tangled in child labour claims, with a 2024 New York Times exposé alleging audits fail to detect kids in US supply chains. Kellanova responded by touting their Global Supplier Code and a 2020 audit showing “zero non-conformances,” but they admitted “shortcomings” and promised fixes. The article slammed auditors for rushing jobs, missing night shifts where kids allegedly work.

Globally, Kellogg’s (now Kellanova) partnered on cocoa pilots in 2019 to combat child labour risks, and their 2024 Human Rights Milestones claim no issues in audited facilities. But with suppliers like Packers Sanitation Services Inc. fined for employing minors in hazardous jobs (over 100 kids in 2023), the stench lingers. No direct UK links, but Portable Foods’ supply chain? Who knows what’s hidden. Penk, with her background of cover-ups, would be a perfect fit here. It’s sickening – kids slaving while execs count profits.

Wrexham’s Underbelly: Fires, Cuts, and Corporate Greed

Zoom in on Wrexham, Portable Foods’ beating heart, and the picture’s grim. Beyond the 2014 job threats and fires, there’s a history of disruption. A 2024 expansion promised 130 jobs and doubled production to 1.5 million boxes daily – great PR, but at what cost? Workers face “root causes” like inadequate safeguarding and high injury rates in food manufacturing, per WSPS reports.

Kellanova injects £75 million, installs giant cockerel weathervanes, and pats itself on the back. But employees donate to local causes out of pocket, while the company axes roles elsewhere. It’s a facade – gritty Wrexham reality versus glossy corporate lies. With Penk in HR, expect more grievances swept under the rug. This isn’t progress; it’s exploitation wrapped in investment bullshit.

In the end, Portable Foods and Kellanova aren’t just making snacks; they’re manufacturing misery. Gemma Penk’s jump from Cummins to this cesspool is poetic – a liar finding her tribe. If my time at Cummins taught me anything, it’s that HR hacks like her protect the machine, not the people. Fuck that. Time for accountability. Spread this, question them, and don’t buy their crap. The workers deserve better.

Lee Thompson – Founder, The Cummins Accountability Project

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