I want this to be the vegan food equivalent of California’s Silicon Valley
EX-WIFE OF SIR PAUL’S REVEALS BUSINESS AMBITIONS
FORMER model Heather Mills has revealed plans to create hundreds of jobs in the North East by turning the region into the ‘Silicon Valley’ of vegan food.
More than 350 jobs were lost when PepsiCo closed the Walkers Snacks factory in Peterlee last year, moving work from the site to other bases around the UK.
Now the 180,000sq ft factory is poised to be at the forefront of the growing vegan food movement, after Washington-born TV personality Ms Mills acquired the keys to the site and unveiled plans to bring manufacturing back.
The ex-wife of Sir Paul McCartney hopes to create 300 jobs at the site, which will become the third VBites operation in the UK, joining sites in Corby in Northamptonshire and Benton, Newcastle, which employ around 140 people between them.
VBites currently sells 74 vegan products to more than 20 countries around the world, and Ms Mills believes the company could see further growth, benefiting from Brexit by outpricing European rivals.
She said: “I knew I had to try to buy it. This was the most important factory in the area. And I want to do something positive in the Brexit situation.
“I want this to become the vegan food equivalent of technology’s Silicon Valley in California: a plant-based valley, that will bring more business into the North East. “Plant-based firms in EU countries have come to me and said supermarkets won’t buy from them any more, they’re too expensive. They’ve asked us to manufacture for them.
“So yes, Brexit is awful but if it means we’re inexpensive when it comes to manufacturing, then let’s get on and do it.”
Ms Mills aims to turn the County Durham facility into the UK’s largest vegan-only plant – and the site has room for expansion.
Agents for the site, Cushman & Wakefield, outlined how the site’s long history of production dates back to the 1960s, with the factory expanding over the years to the current size and layout. Internally the building is divided into various areas including preparation, production, packaging, warehouse, office and staff amenities. Additional undeveloped land to the North also provides potential for future expansion.
News of VBites’ move to the area has been widely welcomed by industry leaders and politicians. James Ramsbotham, chief executive of the North East England Chamber of Commerce, said: “We were dismayed when we learned that Walkers was closing its production facility in Peterlee. “We are delighted that Heather Mills is to invest back in this location and build an exciting new venture with V-bites. “The vegan food market is expanding rapidly and this has the potential to provide real opportunities for so many good people in the future.” Easington MP Grahame Morris agreed, saying: “I am delighted at the prospect of food manufacturing returning to Peterlee and the ambition of Heather Mills and the VBites brand to make our region the Silicon Valley of vegan food production.
“I look forward to production commencing.”