Cofresh are set to invest £20 million back into their business over the next 18 months, as they look to grow their turnover to more than £100 million. This follows the acquisition of a new food production facility, with space for warehousing.
Two sites
This investment will see the firm, based in Leicester, splitting its production between two sites. It already had the facility on Menzies Road, which specialises in traditional Indian food. This new addition, a seven-acre plant on the Attleborough Fields Industrials Estate in Nuneaton, will focus on producing the Eat Real line. This is a healthier snacking option compared to their previous offerings.
Along with purchasing the new site, Cofresh will also extend the Nuneaton premises. The current size is 140,000 sq ft, but they will extend this to 180,000 sq ft. This brings the company’s total production and warehousing facilities to a size of just under 400,000 sq ft.
It is also sure to mean that new employees will be needed – make sure to keep an eye on the jobs boards we have listed here if you want to pick up a position at the new site. It has not been made clear which particular positions will be available when the new facility opens and which will be filled from existing employees, so make sure that you keep an eye out for the opportunities as they arise.
“We’re delighted to be taking this hugely significant step in the development of our business,” said Priyesh Patel, the managing director of Cofresh. “Nuneaton’s central location is well-placed for our customer base and offers a great infrastructure and easy access from our primary location in nearby Leicester, while the site itself is perfect for our immediate needs and offers great potential for our ambitious business growth.”
Snack tradition
Cofresh already has a long tradition in snack manufacturing. The company has been creating traditional and authentic Indian snacks since 1974. The Eat Real brand, on the other hand, is relatively new: it was not launched until 2015, when the company management realised that the demand for free from and vegan snacks was continuing to grow.
This range now includes options such as chips made from hummus, lentil, and quinoa, as well as veggie straws and quinoa puffs. This provides their customer base with a healthier alternative to their favourite snacks, providing the same great taste without the same amount of calories, salt, fat, and other negative elements.
This has proven to a popular choice with customers, with the range now into four years of production and already offering enough demand to require the opening of a dedicated facility. This will be exciting news for investors and those who already have a stake in the company.
“I’m delighted to welcome this long-standing family business to Nuneaton. Cofresh and its Eat Real brand are expanding rapidly and I very much welcome this significant investment and creation of new jobs on a site which has been vacant for some time,” said Marcus Jones, MP for Nuneaton. This will indeed be great for the local area in terms of an economic boost.
If you are thinking of applying for the positions when they become available, you may wish to brush up your CV and practice your interview skills. You can read our advice for job seekers here and get some tips on how to make your application stand out from the rest. This will give you the best possible chance of getting into an interview, which is so important when there are plenty of capable candidates vying for the same role.
