Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I (SBF GB&I), producer of Lucozade and Ribena, is celebrating 80 years since construction began on its Coleford manufacturing facility in the Forest of Dean.
Often referred to locally as the ‘Ribena factory’, the site has been producing the iconic blackcurrant drink since 1947, with Lucozade production added a decade later in 1957. Today, the factory remains a key part of the company’s UK operations, producing more than 420 million litres of beverages annually for customers across Great Britain and Ireland.
As part of its long-term commitment to the site, SBF GB&I has announced more than £57 million of targeted investment across its supply chain. This includes a new £25 million manufacturing line scheduled to begin production in 2027 and £14.5 million invested in a next-generation blackcurrant processing facility in Ledbury, which is operational in time for this year’s harvest.
Sustainability remains a major focus of the investment programme. Over the past six years, the business has invested more than £13 million in improving the recyclability of its ready-to-drink packaging, including reducing the size of plastic sleeves on Ribena, Lucozade Energy and Lucozade Sport bottles. A further £6 million is being invested in an electrification project that is expected to reduce the factory’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 58%, surpassing the company’s 2030 emissions reduction target.
The Coleford facility employs more than 300 people, with over half of the workforce having been with the business for at least a decade. The site also supports six apprentices currently undertaking training programmes.
“The significance of this milestone isn’t simply that our factory has been here for 80 years,” said Elise Seibold, CEO, “it’s that we’re continuing to protect its future for the decades still to come. 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.”
“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,” added Karl Ottomar, Supply Chain Director. “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 company is also continuing to invest in local communities through its Together for Good Community Fund, which will provide up to £2.5 million to communities across the UK and Ireland by 2030, including £125,000 dedicated to projects in the Forest of Dean.
SBF GB&I will mark the anniversary with a celebration event at the Coleford factory, bringing together employees, community representatives and stakeholders to reflect on the site’s heritage and future growth plans.
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