2 minute read - 18th December 2024
Suntory Beverage to make £6m Ribena factory investment
Suntory Beverage & Food Great Britain & Ireland (SBF GB&I), the producer of Lucozade and Ribena, has submitted plans to invest £6m in its Coleford factory to significantly reduce its reliance on natural gas and secure its future as a key manufacturing site and major employer in the region.
The factory, which has been producing Ribena at the site since 1946, will receive a major electrical upgrade. The new energy model is set to be up and running in 2026 and will see the current 11-kilovolt (kv) connection that feeds the factory upgraded with a 33kv connection, increasing the factory’s access to electricity purchased from renewable sources. This upgrade to the factory’s power infrastructure is another significant investment in SBF GB&I’s Forest of Dean factory, following on from the £13m bottling line unveiled in 2020.
The investment will significantly reduce the company’s scope 1 emissions by an estimated 58%, putting it four years ahead of its 2030 target to reduce its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 50%. This will allow greater capacity to focus on future factory improvements and even more emissions reduction projects, including exploring the electrification of its steam systems, greater energy efficiency improvements, new heat pump solutions and solar panels.
Suntory Beverage & Food, the producer of Lucozade and Ribena, has submitted plans to invest £6m in its factory in Coleford to significantly reduce its reliance on natural gas / Picture: SBF GB&I
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Karl Ottomar, supply chain director for Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I, said: “We are proud of the long history our factory has had in the Forest of Dean, built in 1946 to make our iconic purple blackcurrant Ribena. This £6m investment allows us to make significant upgrades, helping us to reduce our carbon footprint but also demonstrating our long-term commitment to the local area. This type of investment that is good for us, our employees and the planet more broadly is what we mean when we say we’re Growing for Good.”
Local authorities will conduct an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to support aims to minimise any impact to the local environment or community. A planning application has now been submitted and once approved, SBF GB&I hopes the new model will be up and running in 2026.
