McVitie’s owner invests £68 million into factories across the UK

Pladis, the Turkish-owned snacking giant behind beloved brands like McVitie’s and Jacob’s, is set to inject a substantial £68 million into its British operations. The significant investment aims to "supercharge" the growth of its iconic brands by boosting manufacturing capacity and productivity across its UK factories.

The London-based company has earmarked the majority of the funds for sites across the north-west of England. This includes a £33 million overhaul of its Liverpool Aintree facility, known for baking Jacob’s cream crackers. The comprehensive refurbishment will see the installation of new ovens and infrastructure, a notable development given the company’s plans in 2023 to reduce the Aintree site’s size, which had put 361 workers at risk of redundancy.

Further investment includes £21 million for a new chocolate moulding line at its Stockport Jaffa Cake factory. Additionally, £2 million will be allocated to its Carlisle site, the world’s oldest biscuit factory, creating 48 new roles.

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A further £12 million will support infrastructure across Pladis’s wider UK network, encompassing facilities in Halifax, Harlesden in north London, and Leicester, alongside the aforementioned sites. Mete Buyurgan, Pladis’ UK and Ireland managing director, commented on the announcement, stating: "Today’s announcement is an important milestone in renovating our sites and unlocking capacity for our growth story. We have a fantastic suite of much-loved brands, baked by dedicated colleagues, and we have a responsibility to continue to nurture these brands for customers and consumers across the world. The news of these investments we are sharing today will enable us to achieve this."

The company anticipates these extensive investment plans will be completed by the end of 2026.