US food giant Kraft Heinz is bringing the production of some of its most iconic sauces back to Britain for the first time in two decades.
A £140mllion expansion of its Wigan factory will see bottles of family favourites like ketchup, mayonnaise and salad cream made in the UK once again, after 20 years of being produced in the Netherlands.
Kraft Heinz said the financial injection could also create up to 50 jobs and would be one of the largest investments since Brexit.
The plan, which is subject to approval in the US, involves Kraft Heinz expanding its Kitt Green site in Wigan, north west of England.
As part of the proposal, the company intends to modernise the manufacturing capabilities of the factory over the next four years, including upgrading machinery.
The Kitt Green plant is Europe's largest food manufacturing site, making 1.3 billion cans of food a year including soups, pasta and baked beans.
Bottles of Heinz sauces that can be purchased in supermarkets were last made in the UK in 1999, although its sachets which are sold to pubs and restaurants continue to be made in Telford.
Luis Spinardi, site director at Kitt Green said: “This is a very exciting time for Kitt Green and I am proud that the potential for the site to grow and modernize is being recognized.
“I would like to thank all our teams for their relentless dedication, commitment and resilience throughout the year helping to feed the nation.
“We are proud to continue our journey as a motivated team to reach our common goal of establishing Kitt Green as a world class manufacturer, delivering exceptional performance in everything we do.”
Joe Clarke, national official for food drink and agriculture at Unite the Union, said: “Brexit and near the end of a global pandemic, this is tremendous news for the hard-working members at Kraft Heinz. Here’s just rewards for everybody’s hard work and effort.”
Minister for Investment Gerry Grimstone added: “Whether you’re a Heinz Mayonnaise or Ketchup fan, the Kraft Heinz investment is a vote of confidence in the UK economy from a major US firm and a boost that will mean jobs and growth for the local economy in Wigan.
“The US is a key trading partner and we are committed to striking an ambitious trade deal that opens up new opportunities for our businesses.”
