Seabrook Crisps set to expand Bradford factory

By: Chris Young, Local Democracy Reporter

One of Bradford’s biggest success stories has been given the approval to expand its factory – boosting jobs and securing its future in the city in the process.

Earlier this year Seabrook Crisps revealed plans for a “significant expansion” of its Duncombe Street factory in Bradford.

The company said the existing factory could not meet the demand for Seabrook’s iconic crinkle-cut crisps.

A planning application to Bradford Council said the large expansion would allow the company to meet the increasing demand, as well as “diversify its product portfolio”.

The expansion would also increase the number of jobs at the site by at least 15 – taking the total number of employees at the HQ to 123.

The planning application was for a 4,000 square metre extension to the factory that would be completed in two phases.

The first phase would be a 3,000 square metre cooking and preparation warehouse, with the second phase being a 1,000 square metre storage warehouse.

As well as being a mainstay on British supermarket shelves, Seabrook Crisps have become popular in markets including the United Arab Emirates, China, France, Spain, and Australia.

Although now a global brand, Seabrook Crisps had humble beginnings in the city.

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

It moved into the old Allerton Liberal Club in the 1950s, and in the late 1970s the company purchased its current Duncombe Street site, where it now employs more than 100 staff.

Seabrook was notable for producing Britain’s original crinkle-cut crisp, and was also the first to use sunflower oil to cook their crisps.

In October 2018, Seabrook Crisps Limited was acquired by Calbee Inc –  the leading snack brand in Japan – as part of its international growth plans.

Over the years around £10m has been invested in the Bradford factory, and the planning application said approval of the expansion would secure the site – and Bradford’s future – as home to the ridged snack.

The application, submitted by Calbee, said: “The proposed extension at the Bradford site will facilitate meeting the increase in demand by enabling the site to further invest in manufacturing capacity of the core lines of the Seabrook range.

“In addition to satisfying the increase in demand, the proposed extension will enable the installation of new process equipment with the ability to further diversify the product portfolio, further growing the Seabrook brand.

“At present, the factory offers two production lines. The proposed extension would increase the production on Line 2 by 100 per cent and introduce a third line to the production.

“The extension would also incorporate warehouse storage areas. In terms of output, the proposed extension would lead to a 70 per cent increase in output from the factory.

“This expansion of the site and projected growth in sales will further secure the employment prospects of the workforce and enable the welcoming of new employees at the Bradford site.

“The work will allow this long-standing iconic business to invest, expand and adapt at its current location, enabling its continued growth and productivity for the benefit of Bradford.”

Approving the application this week, planning officers at Bradford Council said: “The proposal is considered to represent a sustainable form of development which would provide economic development and employment opportunities within the district, whilst not resulting in a substantial adverse impact on the local environment.”

It said while the development would lead to more HGVs arriving to and leaving the site – the increase was not enough to cause environmental concern.

Officers were also reassured that the company’s HGV fleet was Clean Air Zone compliant.

Officers said: “All vehicles delivering raw materials and removing finished goods will be Euro 6 compliant – which was also requested by the clean air team and will reduce vehicle exhaust emissions.”

One of the conditions of the approval is landscaping on the site, including new hedgerows, to boost biodiversity, as well as the installation of bat and bird boxes.

The crisp company recently hit the headlines when it teamed up with brewery Northern Monk – which itself has origins in Bradford – to brew crisp-flavoured beer.

The cheese and onion lager and prawn cocktail-flavoured beers divided opinion.

(LDRS)