“I can’t understand it. We had a record year last year, 21,000 tonnes,” he said. “I believe there are problems down south at other plants and we have suffered as a result, because this place is very viable.”

Mr Brannan also alleged the selection of the 11 personnel for redundancy was random and employees were given no concrete reasons as to why they were among those shown the door. He said he is consulting his trade union and considering legal action.

Another worker who lost his job spoke of his shock at being told at a meeting with the administrators yesterday there was no money available for redundancy payments.

He said, “They said the company doesn’t have any money and we were not being paid anything, but we have had one of the best seasons ever as far as I know.

“We just can’t get answers from them. It was people from a firm of accountants who told us — there was nobody from management there. They just said the company had financial problems.

“I was shocked about the losses at NCR, but at least they will be getting redundancy. We have not got a penny.”

The company, which received over £1.5 million in grants, delivered the potentially serious blow to the jobs market and farmers across east central Scotland when they announced the labour losses yesterday. Many farmers in the area relied on the plant to handle their produce.

Employees were told 11 jobs were to go immediately at the Gourdie plant. The fate of the remaining 19 is unclear.

However, the joint administrators, Dermot Power and Toby Underwood, of accountancy and business services firm BDO Stoy Hayward, have insisted they are working to secure the remaining 19 jobs.

A spokeswoman said, “Administrators are currently working to secure a going concern sale of the company,” and confirmed there were now several parties interested in the business.

No one was available for comment today at the plant in Dundee or at Alpine Cold Stores HQ in Grimsby.