Snack firm creates jobs at new factory
KP Snacks has announced that the production of its popchips brand is moving to the company’s factory in Ashby.
Production will take place in a new, state-of-the-art, 1,800 square metre factory on the existing site, and has directly created 24 jobs.
Having previously been made by co-manufacturers in the UK and Belgium, this move brings all popchips into Leicestershire.
The decision was taken to move popchips production to Ashby to build a platform for even more growth for the brand.
Since its UK launch in 2012 popchips has seen exceptional growth and is now the number two “betterfor-you” snacks brand in the market.
The move of popchips production to Ashby allows for more snacks to be produced each year, helping to fulfil the growing demand for this snack.
The innovative production process for creating popchips is down to the hi-tech machinery in the factory.
Popchips are not fried like traditional crisps but are heated in a pressurised container and then released, causing them to “pop”.
The modern manufacturing process means they use less than half the fat of a traditional crisp, and are also free from artificial flavours, colours and preservatives.
The new factory was approved in July 2019 and has taken just over a year to build. It includes a 1,400 square metre process and packing area, as well as a 400 square metre palletising area.
There are high standards of construction throughout, and the inclusion of skylights allows natural light into the factory, making it a more comfortable place to work.
Mark Duffy, manufacturing director of KP Snacks, said: “We’re very excited to be able to open our brand new popchips facility at Ashby.
“The local community is at the heart of what we do so to be able to recruit 24 new positions has been a source of great pride for us, particularly at a time when jobs up and down the country are being cut.
“This is an exciting time for popchips as, along with opening a brand new factory in our Ashby site, we will also be rolling out a whole new look for the brand: a brand new pack design that is “more popchips”, tastier and stands out more on shelf. On top of all that, in line with our commitment at KP Snacks to reduce our packaging impact on the environment, we will be reducing our popchips packaging by 23 tonnes a year, or 10 per cent, which equates to 5.11 million packs. And all our packs can be recycled via our partnership with Terracycle. Snack on!”
Caroline Smith, who has worked for KP Snacks for the past four years, is one of the first to work on the new popchips line. She said: “Being able to work on a brand new production line is very exciting. We’ve all been getting up to speed with the new machinery and processes ready for the launch and I’m looking forward to getting to know my new team-mates better as we split into shifts.”
Damien Taylor, of Woodville, who left his previous role in the automotive industry to join KP Snacks and produce popchips, said: “Food manufacturing has always appealed to me, and not just because I love crisps. The opportunity to progress in your career at KP Snacks is talked about a lot and it’s something I look for in a job. I’ve always worked with machinery so I’m enjoying adapting to my new role.”
KP Snacks’ Ashby site makes other snacks, including Hula Hoops, Skips, Nik Naks and Space Raiders. It employs 530 people.
The local community is at the heart of what we do so to be able to recruit 24 new positions has been a source of great pride
Mark Duffy