Haribo makes £22 million investment in UK manufacturing facilities
German-founded sweets brand Haribo has made a £22m investment into its UK manufacturing operations in a bid to maintain its market leading status amid strong competition, reports Neill Barston.
As the business revealed, enhancing technology across its purpose-built facility in Castleford, West Yorkshire, the business will use the strategic investment to deliver additional capacity, greater efficiencies and reduced costs as it continues to produce 30,000 tonnes of product from this site each year.
Furthermore, the focus on reformulation of products within the portfolio will be strengthened, reducing sugar and creating treats that deliver greater choice to retailers and shoppers.
Concerns had previously been raised last autumn at the prospect of up to 200 jobs being lost from the company’s UK operations, but the latest investment into British manufacturing offered a positive signal.
Managing Director of HARIBO UK, Jon Hughes, comments: “As we continue to face tough challenges following the ongoing impact of COVID-19, we are showing our resilience and commitment to world-class production in an increasingly competitive market.
“Investing £22m into our already world-class manufacturing facility will give us greater opportunity to produce the variety of sweets that we know bring childlike happiness to our customers. We focus on making great tasting treats that are just sweet enough and will continue to look for ways to reduce sugar content where we can.”
Since the launch of Fruitilicious, HARIBO’s first sugar reduced treat in 2018, the product has become one of the top ten best-selling medium bags in the market with value sales of £2.4m1. This success has led to the launch of Fruitifest, a pack of zingly, zesty fruity flavoured gums with 30 per cent less sugar.
Popular treat, Jelly Babies has also been reformulated to reduce its sugar content. It now has 25 per cent less sugar than competitor products.
Jon continues: “While these innovations showcase the changes in our range, it is important to remember that our most popular sweets are still made using the same basic recipe as our first ever Goldbear.
“This includes only natural flavourings and colours and with less sugar than our competitors. It’s why we’ve always been just sweet enough, and why we’ll continue to lead the way in using only as much sugar as we need to deliver the taste and texture that our customers love.”
