PepsiCo has announced plans to invest £8 million ($10.1 million) in its Pipers Crisps production facility in the UK to cater to increasing demand.
This investment aims to enhance the production capacity at the potato snack factory by “nearly 80% to satisfy demand both in the UK and in the brand’s growing export market,” according to the US snack powerhouse.
Located in Brigg, Lincolnshire, the site will undergo significant upgrades, including the replacement of existing fryers and the installation of new packaging machinery.
Additionally, PepsiCo intends to allocate part of the investment towards improving facilities for the factory’s 100 staff members, focusing on enhancements to workspaces and changing areas.
The owner of the Cheetos brand stated that Pipers Crisps has “cemented its leadership in the UK’s premium, ‘away from home’ crisps market, with growing demand across hospitality venues.”
PepsiCo highlighted that the brand now represents a third of all sales in this sector “amid rapidly increasing customer demand,” though the source of the data was not disclosed.
Mirjam Fogarty, head of operations at Pipers, commented on the investment’s impact: “From small independent pubs, cafes and farm shops, to working with some of the UK’s biggest wholesalers and hospitality operators, the funding will help us bring our delicious crisps to more people, wherever they are, and expand our brand internationally.”
Since its establishment in 2004, Pipers Crisps has operated out of the Brigg factory. PepsiCo, which took over the company in 2019, noted that since the acquisition, Pipers has more than doubled its sales.
The crisps are also available internationally, with exports reaching countries such as France, Italy, and Scandinavia.