PepsiCo, one of the world’s leading food and beverage companies, has today announced an £8 million investment in its Pipers Crisps manufacturing site in Brigg, Lincolnshire, to meet growing demand for the popular snacks. It coincides with the 20th anniversary of Pipers Crisps and marks five years since PepsiCo’s acquisition of the brand.
The funding will boost production capacity at the site by nearly 80%, through replacing existing crisp fryers with new energy efficient models and installing new packaging machines at the Lincolnshire factory, which has been the home of Pipers Crisps since 2004.
New, more efficient fryers replace the existing fryers as part of the investment, are helping to reduce the site’s greenhouse gas emissions by over 200 tonnes a year. This contributes to PepsiCo’s pep+ commitment to target an absolute reduction across its value chain by more than 40% by 2030, reaching net-zero emissions by 2040.
The investment comes as Pipers Crisps continues its leadership in the UK’s premium ‘away from home’ crisp market, now accounting for a third of all sales in the segment amid rapidly increasing customer demand2 for its much-loved snacks. Since PepsiCo’s acquisition of the brand five years ago, Pipers has grown to become the number one premium crisp brand in the ‘away from home’ category, more than doubling its sales.
Originally available in small independent pubs, bars, cafes and farm shops, Pipers has expanded its distribution network to include national wholesalers such as Booker, Brakes and Bidfood, alongside hospitality operators Mitchell & Butlers, Stonegate and Youngs, to bring its quality crisps to people in a variety of locations across the country.
The brand’s export business is worth over £2 million, shipping to countries including France, Italy and across Scandinavia – a significant increase since becoming part of PepsiCo. The recent investment will help unlock further export opportunities for the premium crisp brand including to the Middle East, China and Japan.
Alongside increasing production, the investment will go towards upgrading facilities for the factory’s 100 local employees, including improvements to workspaces and staff changing rooms.
PepsiCo has continued to invest in its UK manufacturing sites, with a total of £127 million committed in investment over the last four years, including a £58 million investment in its Leicester factory announced last year. This forms part of PepsiCo’s ongoing commitment to supporting the growth and success of the UK, making some of Britain’s most iconic brands – including Walkers, Doritos, Quavers, Wotsits, Monster Munch and Quaker Oats – across sites up and down the country.
Mirjam Fogarty, head of operations, Pipers Crisps, said: “Pipers is a much-loved brand with a rich heritage, and we’re delighted to be making this investment at such an exciting stage in our journey. 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. With Pipers’ 20th birthday fast approaching, I’m looking forward to the next phase of our growth.”
