An internationally-renowned Dorset business is set to relocate to Poole.

Dorset Cereals – which employs 115 people – is proposing to move its factory to a custom-built £5.5 million site from the current home in Poundbury, Dorchester.

The firm hopes its workforce can switch to the new site, but bosses admit some employees might not want to make the move.

It has launched a consultation on its plans.

In 2014, The Jordans and Ryvita Company, part of Associated British Foods, reached an agreement to purchase the Dorset Cereals brand from Wellness Foods.

There are now proposals to establish a separate production area for Dorset Cereals on the existing Ryvita site in Poole

Andy Prudence, site manager at Dorset Cereals, said the move is to ensure the company can meet its ‘growth aspirations’.

He said: "We've been on this site for 18 years and the growth of the company in that time has been fantastic.

"We now want to ensure that we are fit for the future and can meet our growth aspirations for years to come, and as such we believe that moving to a bespoke facility in Poole would give us the added production capacity we need.

"This is really exciting news for the company but also quite a sensitive subject at the same time.

"We genuinely want to take as many employees with us as possible.

"There are 115 people that could be impacted by this.

"We realise that some people might not be able to make the move to Poole so we will providing outplacement support for those who need it."

Mr Prudence explained that other options had been explored for the company's future.

He said: "It was considered to look at what could be done on the current site or another site in Poundbury but we believe that the relocation is the best option.

"We now have really good international sales – 40 per cent of our sales are international, going to 43 countries across the world including Australia, the Netherlands, the Middle East and Canada.

"Remaining at the Poundbury site will impact our future, we will have constraints with what we can do."

The company has entered a process of consultation – expected to last until July – during which time it will discuss with employees its plans to invest £5.5m in a new site in Poole.

The new facility is said to improve production line efficiency using state-of-the-art machinery designed specifically for manufacturing Dorset Cereals.

When Dorset Cereals moved to Poundbury in 2000, the company produced 10 tonnes of cereal per day with five recipes – 18 years on, it now produces 75 tonnes per day with more than 60 different recipes.

The firm will join other global brands in Poole, including Lush and Sunseeker.