Harrogate Spring expands with 20 new job roles

16-May-2016 - Last updated on 18-May-2016 at 13:34 GMT

Harrogate Water Brands is to boost its workforce by 40%

Harrogate Water Brands, the owner of Harrogate Spring, has announced an increase in its workforce of 40% after a year of “phenomenal growth”.

The company is increasing its workforce from 50 to 70 with new jobs across production, sales and marketing, quality and accounts.

The brand is the official water of England Cricket and Royal Ascot.

Home and export markets

Md James Cain said that strong demand in both home and export markets had led to the recruitment drive. Export demand, in particular, had been driven by its authentic British heritage and authenticity, he added.

“Strong demand in both home and export markets has led to our biggest ever recruitment drive. Overall, the business has grown 30% in the last year, vastly out-performing market growth of 9%, while exports have grown by 50%,” said Cain.

“Export demand has been driven by our classic British identity which has seen us penetrate new markets in the Far East and Middle East. This year, we have won our biggest international distribution deal making Harrogate Spring available in supermarkets across the Gulf Arab States.”

Strong British identity

Middle Eastern retail giant LuLu International, which stocks Harrogate Water, has 110 retail outlets in 31 countries. Ashraf Ali, executive director, said: “Since first becoming aware of Harrogate Spring, we have been impressed by its strong British identity and illustrious heritage.

“We are excited to be representing the ‘Original British Bottled Water’ and have ambitious plans to introduce Harrogate into many different channels.”

Harrogate Spring claimed to be the leading British premium spring water, with a spa history dating back to 1571. The water was said to be first bottled in 1740 and is now sold in diamond patterned bottles.

“We have combined the heritage of Britain’s original spa with an award-winning design to create an authentic brand, which epitomises British charm and style.

“With England Cricket, Ascot Racecourse and Royal Ascot, we have achieved significant brand equity. Investment in a new £8M production facility has given us the capacity to grow the business further as we seek to expand into new home and export markets,” Cain said.

In August 2014 Harrogate Water created 30 new jobs with the opening of a new £6M bottling line.