Growth creating jobs at Purity Soft Drinks

A Black Country soft drinks business plans to increase the number if employs by another 15 over the next three years.

West Bromwich West Labour MP Adrian Bailey heard about Purity Soft Drinks' future plans when he toured its factory on a three-acre site at Mounts Road, Wednesbury, on Friday.

Chief executive David Bell, who has been with the business for two years, said: "We invited him to come and find out about he progress we are making and the contribution we make to the community.

"We are growing at about 20 to 25 per cent a year and have created 15 new jobs over the last 18 months and plan to create 15 more over the next three years," said Mr Bell.

He said that Purity, which now employs 80, had won a number of big new customers this year which was he;ping to drive its growth and increase employment.

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He also told the MP about the work Purity was doing to reduce sugar in its products. "We have taken 20 per cent of the added sugar out of our range over the last two years and will start taking another 20 per cent out in March in a brand re-launch.

"Currently 50 per cent of ourtproducts are without added sugar and in the next year that will extend to 75 per cent of our range.

"We are responding to the national health advice on the need to reduce sugar content," explained Mr Bell.

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He said that Purity was continuing to invest in its people by stepping up training and it was also innovating with a new glass bottle range of its drink for pubs and bars being introduced. Mr Bell and Purity's operations manager Rich Proctor showed Mr Bailey around the plant and they were also joined by the Black Country Chamber of Commerce's head of policy Bhanu Dhir.

They told the pair how the company was also looking at investing in modernising one of its production lines within the next couple of years.

Purity's annual turnover is on target to reach just under £20 million in 2015-2016.

The current business dates back more than half a century, but drinks have been produced on the site since it opened in 1892 and were originally delivered by horse-drawn dray in the local area.

The company was owned and run by the Cox family for 68 years until a management buyout in 2012 which was backed by investment group Langholm Capital.

Last year Purity Soft Drinks completed the acquisition of the premium natural drink brand Firefly and with it added customers in more than 40 different countries around the globe.

It has invested £3 million at the Mounts Road site in recent years and its Juiceburst brand has become a familiar sight in shops across the UK, from independent stores to major High Street chains. The Wednesbury site now has the capacity to produce up to 70 million bottles a year.