CATERING supplies specialist Continental Quattro Stagioni (CQS) is expanding its distribution network with a new depot on Tyneside.

About 12 jobs will be created at the depot, on the Team Valley Trading Estate, in Gateshead.

The opening will allow CQS to offer a same day service to customers across the North-East and Cumbria, delivering ambient, chilled and frozen food and drink products.

There will also be a telesales team based at the depot as well as a Vivaldi cash and carry outlet.

At the moment, the company supplies businesses ranging from corner shops to major hotel chains, with more than 1,200 Italian and Mediterranean food lines and 500 alcoholic drink lines.

Managing director Sandro Bevilacqua said: "The North-East is a very attractive business region and we are delighted to invest in the area.

"We already have a strong customer base here which we have serviced from our Yorkshire depot. Our customers are integral to the quickly developing caf society in the region and our presence on the doorstep will mean we can better provide the rapid and reliable service they require."

CQS is already the number one specialist catering supplier in Scotland with depots in Edinburgh and Glasgow, and covers Yorkshire and the Midlands from its Huddersfield base.