Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I marks an impressive 80 years of operations at its Coleford facility with a significant investment initiative totaling £57.5 million. This investment aims to enhance the site’s manufacturing capabilities, boost sustainability efforts, and secure the future of one of the UK’s iconic beverage production locations.
Established in 1947, the Forest of Dean facility, commonly recognized as the ‘Ribena factory,’ expanded to include Lucozade production in 1957. Currently, it employs over 300 individuals and is responsible for the annual output of more than 420 million liters of Lucozade and Ribena for consumers across Great Britain and Ireland.
The milestone arrives amid a series of substantial upgrades aimed at modernizing manufacturing, processing, packaging, and energy systems. Suntory intends to ensure the site remains a pivotal contributor to the UK’s beverage sector.
“Even with eight decades of manufacturing behind it, the factory looks forward to a bright future,” noted Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I, emphasizing ongoing investments to “evolve a site that produces some of Britain’s best-loved soft drinks.”
A key component of the current investment agenda is a new manufacturing line worth £25 million slated to commence operations in 2027. An additional £3.5 million is allocated for a new warehouse to facilitate the line’s construction.
This investment strategy also encompasses £14.5 million for a cutting-edge blackcurrant processing facility in Ledbury, prepared for the upcoming summer harvest.
Suntory claims that this investment initiative represents a strategic, long-term commitment to enhancing supply chain resilience, enabling the company to sustain large-scale production in the UK.
“The significance of this milestone isn’t simply that our factory has been here for 80 years; it’s that we’re continuing to protect its future for the decades still to come,” stated Elise Seibold, CEO of SBF GB&I.
“It’s a responsibility and commitment to the people who work here today, to the generations who were guardians of the site before us, and to the community that continues to be such an important part of Coleford’s story.”
In conjunction with production enhancements, Suntory is also focused on boosting energy efficiency and lowering carbon emissions at this location.
A £6.1 million electrification project at 33kV is anticipated to lessen the factory’s dependence on its gas turbine; Suntory estimates that this initiative could cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 58% upon completion.
The company stated this achievement would position SBF GB&I ahead of its goal to reduce Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50% by 2030.
Sustainability investments have also targeted packaging, with £13.9 million allocated over the last six years to enhance the recyclability of ready-to-drink bottles for Ribena, Lucozade Sport, and Lucozade Energy.
Initiatives have included minimizing the use of plastic sleeves on bottles, with financial commitments across the brands amounting to £1.6 million for Ribena in 2020, £6 million for Lucozade Sport in 2021, and £6.3 million earmarked for Lucozade Energy in 2025.
While investing in equipment and infrastructure is crucial, Suntory also underscored the importance of skills and workforce development for the factory’s sustained success.
More than half of Coleford’s employees have been with the business for over ten years, and currently, six apprentices are honing their skills at the site.
Karl Ottomar, supply chain director at SBF GB&I, remarked: “What makes the people in our factory special is their ability to keep moving forward while holding on to the knowledge, skills and pride built up over decades.”
“As we continue to invest in the site, it’s about more than strengthening resilience and productivity; it’s about backing the people, skills and community that have made it such an important part of British manufacturing.”
The history of the Coleford factory can be traced back to the post-war period of expansion in British food and beverage manufacturing. Suntory’s latest investment initiative emphasizes the necessity of modernizing established production facilities to meet future requirements.
The company believes that this anniversary illustrates “a story of British heritage, powered by Japanese innovation,” uniting the site’s manufacturing legacy with ongoing efforts to invest in technology, sustainability, and operational effectiveness.
