Burton’s Biscuits invests £5M in new production line
The investment followed the firm’s announcement that it would pump £2M into the site in 2013 to boost capacity. The latest cash injection has enabled it to launch its new Maryland Soft Baked range sooner, strengthening the £47M Maryland brand, it said.
Burton’s has installed new production equipment and technology throughout the site, allowing it to manufacture the new product without putting pressure on any of its other lines, it said.
No new jobs had been created at the site, which employs more than 500 people, it added.
24-hour production
However, it would now be able to run its production lines 24-hours-a-day as a result of the investment, said Toby Baker, director of sweet products at Burton’s.
“Introducing new, innovative products like Maryland Soft Baked, ensures that our power brands remain consumer favourites and that we’re continuing to transform the UK biscuit aisle,” he said.
Simon Bourne, director of operations, added: “Through continued investment in our processes and supply chain operations, we are now able to bring products like Maryland Soft Baked to market faster.
“The new production line means we have increased capacity and greater capabilities, resulting in a high-quality cookie.”
Burton’s investment has followed the firm’s plans to take 17% of the convenience savoury snack market, as revealed by FoodManufacture.co.uk last year.
£15M invested
More than £15M would be invested across Burton’s Edinburgh, Liverpool and Blackpool factories to equip it to grow its share of the savoury category, chief commercial officer Stuart Wilson said.
In a bid to boost its savoury market share, the company launched its Cathedral City Baked Bites in 2013, as well as re-launching its 1980s Burton’s Fish and Chips brand last year.
At the time, Wilson estimated the two brands were already worth millions of pounds and expected Cathedral City Baked Bites to be worth £10M within two years.
“There will be a lot more investment in factories and lines and I would fully imagine that we would carry on spending at or above the rates we’ve been spending to date,” he said.
