Britvic Ireland to invest €6 million in Ballygowan facility to increase production by over 20%
Britvic Ireland has announced an investment of €6 million in its Ballygowan facility in Newcastle West, County Limerick, to grow the site’s production capacity by over 20% in order to meet growing consumer demand for Ballygowan mineral water, and the creation of 28 new jobs. In addition to the new manufacturing roles, the investment will provide additional bottling capacity for the equivalent of 50 million fully recycled and recyclable 500ml bottles of Ballygowan, enhance production capability, and underpin the strong sustainability credentials of the site.
Ballygowan is Ireland’s number one bottled water brand, and consumer demand has grown steadily in recent years with sales of Ballygowan products undergoing strong double digit volume growth compared to pre-Covid levels. Newcastle West is the home and source of Ballygowan mineral water, which has been produced and bottled at source since 1984. Britvic Ireland has been a local employer in Newcastle West since 2007, and the facility currently employs 55 people in addition to the newly announced roles.
Speaking about the investment, Kevin Donnelly, Managing Director of Britvic Ireland, said: “This investment will create new manufacturing roles for the local area, provide additional bottling capacity for the equivalent of 50 million 500ml bottles of Ballygowan made from fully recycled and recyclable plastic, enhance production capability, and underpin the strong sustainability credentials of our site. We are incredibly proud of this latest milestone in Ballygowan’s journey as Ireland’s most loved and leading bottled water brand, and the benefits this investment will return for Britvic Ireland and the wider community in Newcastle West.”
Ballygowan bottles are made from 100% recycled and recyclable plastic (rPET), following a €2 million investment in the Newcastle West facility in 2021. When recycled correctly, rPET bottles can be reused continuously, becoming a key contributor to the circular economy and removing virgin plastic from the supply chain.
Britvic Ireland is part of Britvic plc, a leading branded soft drinks business in Europe and South America that operates in and exports to over 100 countries. With a brand portfolio dating back to the invention of soda water in 1773, Britvic Ireland is one of the oldest soft drinks companies in the world and remains the only large-scale soft drinks manufacturer in the Republic of Ireland employing 360 people across the Island.
Today, Britvic Ireland is Ireland’s No.1 domestic producer of soft drinks and the No. 2 soft drinks company (by volume) operating in the Irish market. 70% of soft drinks consumed in Ireland are imported and 30% are domestically manufactured, of which Britvic Ireland produces 28%.
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Pictured (left to right): Kevin Donnelly, Managing Director of Britvic Ireland; Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney TD; and Dee Cunningham, Head of Brand Marketing Stills at Britvic Ireland.
