Leading soft drinks producer announces multimillion euro expansion of production facility

BRITVIC Ireland has announced an investment of €6 million in its Ballygowan facility to grow the site’s production capacity by over 20% in order to meet growing consumer demand for Ballygowan mineral water.

The expansion, which will see the creation of 28 new jobs at the facility in Newcastle West, County Limerick, will provide additional bottling capacity for the equivalent of 50 million fully recycled and recyclable 500ml bottles of Ballygowan.

Welcoming the announcement, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney, said: "I’d like to congratulate Britvic Ireland on their announcement of a €6 million investment at their facility which will support the growth, expansion, and sustainability credentials of one of Ireland’s best-known water brands, Ballygowan. I warmly welcome the creation of 28 new manufacturing roles at the facility, and the strategic investment in the sustainable, long-term production of Ballygowan mineral water.”  

Kevin Donnelly, Managing Director at Britvic Ireland, commented: “This investment will create new manufacturing roles for the local area, provide additional bottling capacity for the equivalent of 50 million 500ml bottles of Ballygowan made from fully recycled and recyclable plastic, enhance production capability, and underpin the strong sustainability credentials of our site. We are incredibly proud of this latest milestone in Ballygowan’s journey as Ireland’s most loved and leading bottled water brand, and the benefits this investment will return for Britvic Ireland and the wider community in Newcastle West.”  

Ballygowan is Ireland’s number one bottled water brand, and consumer demand has grown steadily in recent years with sales of Ballygowan products undergoing strong double digit volume growth compared to pre-Covid levels.

Newcastle West is the home and source of Ballygowan mineral water, which has been produced and bottled at source since 1984.  Britvic Ireland have been a local employer in the town since 2007, and the facility currently employs 55 people in addition to the newly announced roles.

Britvic Ireland's portfolio includes brands such as Ballygowan, MiWadi, Pepsi, Club and TK.