A Britvic spokewoman told FoodManufacture.co.uk: “We’re still retaining a Chelmsford presence via our factory in Widford. But we have plants all over the country, and we need a location that makes it easier to travel to all these sites.”
She confirmed that the £1.138bn turnover company was looking at sites around the M1/M25 intersection, but said there was no timetable for a decision to be made. “We’re looking and will make an announcement as and when," she said.
280 staff would potentially be affected by the move, the spokeswoman said, but she added that only around 80 lived in Chelmsford, while some staff worked from home using laptop computers and “would continue to do so”.
“We’re encouraging all of our staff to come with us,” she added.
Britvic brands include Robinsons, J20, Fruit Shoot, Tango and Drench in Great Britain. The company also has bottling agreements with PepsiCo in the UK and Ireland for brands such as Pepsi and 7UP.
With divisions in the UK, Ireland and France, the company employs around 3,500 people and sells 1.9bn litres of soft drinks a year.