German-owned confectionery manufacturer Haribo is investing £22 million into its Castleford factory in West Yorkshire.

The business states the strategic investment demonstrates the firm’s commitment to the UK and will be rolled out throughout 2021. It will deliver additional capacity, greater efficiencies and reduced costs at the site which produces 30,000 tonnes of sweets each year.

The investment will also look to ensure the manufacturer maintains its market leading position in the UK by meeting changing consumer habits by supporting the reformulation of products, reducing sugar and creating treats that deliver greater choice to retailers and shoppers.

Jon Hughes, managing director of Haribo UK, said:

“As we continue to face tough challenges following the ongoing impact of COVID-19, we are showing our resilience and commitment to world-class production in an increasingly competitive market.

Investing £22m into our already world-class manufacturing facility will give us greater opportunity to produce the variety of sweets that we know bring childlike happiness to our customers. We focus on making great tasting treats that are just sweet enough and will continue to look for ways to reduce sugar content where we can.”

Haribo has been focused on reduced sugar treats since 2018 when it launched Fruitilicious a product that has since become one of the top ten products in its market with sales of £2.4m.

Jon Hughes added:

“While these innovations showcase the changes in our range, it is important to remember that our most popular sweets are still made using the same basic recipe as our first ever Goldbear. This includes only natural flavourings and colours and with less sugar than our competitors. It’s why we’ve always been just sweet enough, and why we’ll continue to lead the way in using only as much sugar as we need to deliver the taste and texture that our customers love.”

Haribo is a German confectionery company founded by Hans Riegel Sr. It began in Kessenich, Bonn. The name “Haribo” is an acronym formed from Hans Riegel Bonn. The company created the first gummy candy in 1922 in the form of little gummy bears called Gummibärchen. The current headquarters is in Grafschaft, Germany.