Headline Sponsor
Princes Group:
With a global supply network and a portfolio of branded and customer-own brand products, Princes is one of the UK’s largest food and drink groups. The company specialises in manufacturing and sourcing quality products and, as a leading international grocery supplier, millions of consumers across the UK and Europe buy its brands or own-label products every single day.
Princes’ head office is based in the UK (Liverpool) and the company also has a presence across continental Europe, with sales and marketing offices in Poland and France, tuna processing facilities in Mauritius, tomato processing in Italy and edible oils production in Poland.
Princes’ UK manufacturing footprint includes eleven sites producing canned food, edible oils and soft drinks, its site in Cardiff being its centre of excellence for fruit juice and juice drinks. Acquired in 1993, the site currently produces both Princes brand and customer-own label one-litre ambient juices, multipacks and ready-to-merchandise display units. It is currently in the final stages of a £60m investment programme that will see capacity and capability increase, offering new formats and the ability to provide new and innovative soft drinks to customers and consumers.
Following completion of the project – the group’s largest ever capital investment into soft drinks – Princes’ Cardiff site will have the capability to produce ambient, mini and chilled drinks, increasing production capacity by over 70%. Princes will also be able to expand its product range beyond fruit juice and enter new markets, as well as introduce additional packaging sizes and formats to meet customer demand. Additionally, the investment will reduce Princes’ carbon footprint through increased efficiencies and the use of more environmentally friendly carton materials.
The Cardiff site is one of the largest employers in the area, its operations supporting hundreds of regional jobs in businesses and industries that provide services and support, and as a result of the investment programme over 90 new employees will join the site, bringing the total number of staff to 254.
Like all other Princes sites, the Cardiff site has a target to be carbon net zero as well as reduction targets for water and waste by 2030. Environmental, economic and social sustainability are cornerstones of Princes’ business and are built into its vision of ‘Proudly helping families to eat well without costing the earth’.
Princes first sponsored BlasCymru/TasteWales in 2019 and is delighted to do so again in 2021 as it continues to highlight its contribution to Welsh food and drink manufacturing and looks forward to a successful event for Welsh food and drink producers of all sizes.