The site in Cumbria will be boosted by an investment of £15m.
UK food group Princes has invested £15m in an expansion to its bottled water production plant in Cumbria.
The Eden Valley site, southeast of Carlisle, will benefit from a new bottling line, laboratory and engineering space as part of a bid to help its Aqua Pura mineral water brand achieve sustained growth, the Liverpool Echo reported this morning.
The news follows strong growth within the bottled water segment: consumption of water in the UK rose by 10% last year, propelled by an 11.5% increase in the flavoured, functional and juicy water category, as Zenith International revealed back in June. And last month, the Natural Hydration Council found that water is the only drink where consumption has risen in a report that outlined the poor hydration levels of British consumers.
As well as producing Aqua Pura mineral water, Eden Valley also produces a wide range of customer own-brand water in several bottle sizes, multipacks and display units.
Princes corporate relations director Ruth Simpson said: “This strategic investment consolidates Princes’ position as one of the UK’s leading soft drinks suppliers and reflects the strength and scale of the bottled water market.
“We are committed to ensuring our sites have the capacity and technological capabilities to not only meet customer needs now, but also provide a platform for long-term future growth.”
‘Strategic investment’
At the same time, the Liverpool-based company has announced a £3.6m investment in its largest food production site in Lincolnshire, as part of its ongoing commitment to strengthening its UK operations.
Work on the Long Sutton site is expected to start in April 2016 and will largely involved an upgrade to office spaces and welfare facilities, including a new on-site restaurant, staff changing facilities, locker rooms and showers.
There will also be a new workspace that will support teamwork and communications across the site teams and operational efficiencies.
Simpson continued: “Princes is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of all our employees. We are investing in providing them with a modern working environment that promotes the development of Long Sutton as a best-practice producer of UK canned food.
“We are proud to work with local growers and suppliers right across Lincolnshire, who provide us with a range of produce for our Crosse & Blackwell and Batchelors brands. Ongoing investment in our operations comes despite a challenging global marketplace and helps us bolster local sourcing for products sold right across the UK.”
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