The parent company of Carr’s, McVitie’s and Jacob’s today announced a £2 million investment in its Carlisle bakery.
The cash injection into the Church Street site will be used to invest in the savoury assortments department, resulting in the bakery recruiting and training 48 new colleagues.
This historic site, the world’s oldest biscuit factory, has been in operation since 1831 and currently employs around 800 people.
It’s mainly used to bake and make Carr’s crackers, savoury biscuit assortments and McVitie’s Mini Chocolate Digestives.
The move from snacking giant pladis comes on the back of a raft of investments made in the site since 2022 in new production lines and warehousing totalling more than £12 million.
pladis said the Carlise funding was part of a wider package of investments in its UK factories totalling £68 million.
The biscuit and cracker maker will spend the bulk of this across its sites in the North- West including Aintree, Carlisle and Stockport to support the growth of its operations.
Mark Ebdon, general manager of the pladis bakery in Carlisle, said: “It is a privilege to be the custodian of the oldest biscuit factory in the world. This site is home to one of our most treasured brands, Carr’s, along with McVitie’s and Jacobs.
“Our investment in our future is supporting our site ambition to make sure the factory is here for years to come, continuing to produce our nations favourites biscuits and crackers.”
Julie Minns, MP for Carlisle, said: “The Carr’s biscuit factory has been part of our city’s story for nearly 200 years, providing work for generations of local families and contributing to the heart and heritage of Carlisle, all while making biscuits loved across the country and around the world.
“Today’s announcement marks the latest chapter, and the £2 million investment and 48 new jobs are a very welcome boost for our city.
“I’ve spoken about Carr’s in Parliament because it matters, both to our community and economy, and I was delighted when the Prime Minister reassured me that the new EU deal was ‘good for biscuits, good for business.’
“Well, the proof of the pudding, or the biscuit, is in the eating, and this investment shows those words are more than just a soundbite.”
pladis said its group revenues, including the UK, increased by 8% year-on-year to £2.8 billion, according to its most recent financial disclosures.
