Supermarket giant announces new bottling facility in Derby

Lidl GB has unveiled a new bottling facility in Derby, now operational and serving Lidl outlets throughout Great Britain.

This establishment will handle the bottling of water and the production of various soft drinks, with an annual production capacity of 380m bottles.

Operated under the name MEG Derby, the plant falls under Schwarz Produktion, the overarching entity of the Schwarz Group.

Richard Bourns, Chief Commercial Officer, Lidl GB, said: “This new venture with MEG Derby Ltd. marks a significant milestone in our commitment to improving efficiency, reducing our impact on the environment and providing our customers with great quality products at the lowest possible prices. Bringing production of this key product closer to home makes sense and aligns with Lidl GB’s vision of contributing positively to the local community and economy.”

The decision to localise production aims to streamline transportation logistics and improve Lidl’s environmental footprint by curbing carbon emissions.

Additionally, the plant is set to help the local economy by creating approximately 90 new jobs.

Jörg Aldenkott, CEO at Schwarz Produktion, said: “The inauguration of MEG Derby Ltd. represents a pivotal moment for Schwarz Produktion. As our first venture in Great Britain, it underscores our commitment to sustainable growth and will allow us to serve Lidl stores across Great Britain. As one of the leading soft drink and mineral water manufacturers in Germany we know investments like these pay off, and I can’t think of a better place to do it than in Great Britain.”