PepsiCo invests £8 million in crisps factory in UK

PepsiCo is investing £8 million in Pipers Crisps’ factory in Brigg, Lincolnshire, to meet growing demand. The investment coincides with the brand’s 20^th anniversary. PepsiCo acquired it five years ago.

The capital injection will increase production capacity at the Lincolnshire plant by almost 80%. New, more efficient fryers will replace existing ones and also help reduce the site’s greenhouse gas emissions by more than 200 tonnes a year. This contributes to PepsiCo’s goal of achieving carbon reductions across its supply chain of more than 40% by 2030, then achieving net zero emissions by 2040. Apart from new fryers, new packaging machines will also be installed at the plant.

Significant expansion of distribution network

Pipers Crisps products were originally only available in small independent pubs, bars, cafes and farm shops in the United Kingdom (UK). Since PepsiCo took over the brand five years ago, Pipers has become the number one premium crisps brand in the ‘away from home’ category, more than doubling sales. The distribution network was expanded to include national wholesalers such as Booker, Brakes and Bidfood, in addition to catering operators Mitchell & Butlers, Stonegate and Youngs. Pipers now accounts for a third of all sales in this segment, and customer demand is growing rapidly.

Pipers is now also doing well in other countries; the brand’s export business is worth more than £2 million. The crisps are supplied to countries such as France, Italy and Scandinavia. The new investment should unlock further export opportunities to the Middle East, China and Japan. In addition, the capital injection is intended to improve work areas and changing rooms for the plant’s staff. Some 100 people work in Lincolnshire.

Expanding the brand internationally

Mirjam Fogarty, Head of Operations at Pipers Crisps, said: ‘Pipers is a well-loved brand with a rich heritage, and we are delighted to make this investment at such an exciting stage of our journey: from supplying small independent pubs, cafes and farm shops to working with some of the UK’s largest wholesalers and catering operators.’ According to Fogarty, the funding will also help expand the brand internationally. PepsiCo’s new capital injection brings the company’s total investment in its UK manufacturing sites over the past four years to £127 million.