Diageo has been given the green light to proceed with a £26m extension at its Baileys global supply facility in Northern Ireland.
The site in Mallusk – one of only two global production sites for Baileys – will undergo improvements in logistics and warehousing after plans were approved by Antrim & Newtownabbey Borough Council.
Work on the “multi-year project” would commence early next year, Diageo said.
The facility is one of three Diageo sites in Northern Ireland, and focuses on the production, bottling, labelling and storage of the original Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur.
It produces more than 60 million bottles of Baileys annually, exporting to 150 countries around the world.
“We are delighted with the council’s decision to approve our plans to extend our site at Mallusk,” said Lesley Allen, operations manager at Baileys Mallusk. “The extension will support the storage, delivery and distribution of raw materials and finished goods and we are looking forward to the opportunities it will create for us.
“Baileys makes a considerable contribution to the local economy in Northern Ireland, and over 97% of our output is shipped around the world.
“We are confident that the planned extension will support Diageo’s wider growth strategy, building on the £40m investment we made in opening the site in 2003 and the ongoing investments to further develop the facility and the Baileys brand.”
Baileys sales in grocery are up 5.1%, to £183.3m [NIQ 52 w/e 23 April 2023], a feat Diageo says is down to extending the brand beyond its seasonal peak at Christmas.
The brand launched a lower-calorie Deliciously Light variant in March, and brought back its “fruity, tropical flavoured” Baileys Colada in April.
No comments yet