Millions of pounds have been invested in Seabrooks’ Bradford factory as success continues

The owner of SEABROOKS Crisps has revealed that a £12m expansion of its Bradford factory is now well under way.

One of the city’s biggest success stories, Seabrooks Crisps went from making crunchy snacks in a terraced house to a huge two-plant operation.

Eighty-five years on, the business is still based in the town on Duncombe Street, near Girlington.

Calbee took over Seabrooks in 2018 and saw turnover rise by 16.6% and operating profit by 59.2% in its latest reports and accounts to December 2023.

It comes amid new investment at Seabrooks’ Bradford site – including a new production line, cooking and preparation warehouse, equipment and storage areas.

In its planning application submitted to Bradford Council last year, the company said: “More than £10m has been invested in the Bradford site to develop capabilities and capacity in process and packaging.

“However, recent sales increases have resulted in increased demand for production, which exceeds current capacity.”

Calbee said phase two of the Bradford expansion would now be brought forward to keep up with growing demand.

Daniel Woodwards, Group Managing Director for Calbee UK, said: “As we continue to invest in capacity and capabilities in an increasingly competitive market, we are delighted to see that our proposition is clearly resonating.

“The performance of the business further strengthens our position as the UK’s number one crisp brand and number two by volume.

“We have much to celebrate as we explore new snack formats and flavors and continue to support our Masterbrand strategy for Seabrook.

“While we may not realize the full benefit of our investments until 2025, we are encouraged by the confidence in our proposition and the expanded portfolio of chips and snacks.

“The response from shoppers who want quality, branded products that deliver everyday value continues to support and validate our investment plans.”

2024 will also see the company’s biggest TV spend and campaign to date, the food manufacturing company revealed.

The company was founded in Bradford in 1945 by Charles Brook and his son Colin Brook – and was originally based in a terraced house, one up.

It moved to the old Allerton Liberal Club in the 1950s and in the late 1970s the company acquired its current site on Duncombe Street.

David Tickner, group finance director for Calbee UK, said: “As expected, we are pleased with our strong results in 2023 and continued growth. We were delighted to announce a £12m expansion of our Bradford manufacturing facility this year, complementing the investment made in Deeside last year.”