Britvic has announced it will close its Robinsons and Fruit Shoot plant in Norwich, with 242 employees affected by the decision.
Production will now be transferred to its manufacturing plants in East London, Leeds and Rugby as the company aims to improve the efficiency and productivity of its operations.
It is proposed the site will close towards the end of 2019. Unilever, which co-owns the facility with Britvic, has been informed of the changes.
Robinsons squash, which is known for its sponsorship of the Wimbledon Championships, moved its factory to the city in 1925.
In a statement, Britvic said: “Every impacted employee will be offered a comprehensive package of support, including redeployment opportunities at other sites and outplacement services to help find alternative employment.”
In its third-quarter results published at the end of July, Britvic’s GB unit posted a revenue increase of 4.9% on last year’s figures, with volume growth up 3.4%. The company said that while grocery performance was subdued, it grew strongly in the convenience and on-trade channels.
Britvic CEO Simon Litherland said: “This is not a proposal that we make lightly and we know this is upsetting news for our colleagues. We are very grateful for the hard work and dedication of our employees at our Norwich factory and today’s announcement is in no way a reflection on their performance or commitment.
“However, the changes we are proposing today present significant productivity and efficiency savings in our manufacturing operations, deliver environmental benefits and, coupled with our ongoing investment programme in our GB manufacturing operations, ensure that we have the flexibility and capability we need to respond to changing consumer trends faster and more efficiently.
“No decisions will be made prior to full and proper consultation with employees and our focus is on ensuring we offer our colleagues on-going support and assistance throughout this difficult time.”
In 2015 Britvic announced a three-year business capability programme, investing £240 million in its GB manufacturing operations, to ensure it has the ‘appropriate infrastructure to compete in the market and deliver sustainable cost and commercial benefits’. The company said it remains committed to this programme.
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