New jobs to be created at horticulture firm

Some 14 jobs are set to be created after the Midlands Engine Investment Fund (MEIF) Debt Finance, managed by Maven Capital Partners, provided Lincolnshire-based, Jepco, with a £900,000 funding package.

The firm will use the cash to buy hydroponic technology and equipment needed to expand production all year round. The finance package will also create 14 new jobs in the region. This is the second MEIF loan made to the Jepco Group.

Now in its third generation, the family-run company is led by CEO, Stuart Piccaver, the grandson of John E Piccaver, who founded the business in 1946.

Stuart Piccaver said: “We look forward to investing in our hydroponic solution, offering our customers a high yielding alternative for the future. Our new systems will provide great advantages across our supply chain, providing benefits for the consumer, retailers and growers in the UK and Ireland.”

Richard Altoft, investment director at Maven Capital Partners said: “We are very pleased to be working with another company from the Jepco Group – helping fund an innovative hydroponics project. This separate facility will provide a sustainable offering to Jepco’s customers and deliver a solution to protected crop growers in Ireland and the UK.”