Haribo has opened a £35m expansion at its Castleford production site, adding a new warehouse and a further production and packaging line to strengthen its manufacturing capacity in the UK. The investment, officially opened by Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley MP Yvette Cooper, is designed to support both the Castleford and Pontefract operations, where the confectionery giant employs more than 700 people.
The new purpose-built warehouse is automated and will allow Haribo to manage future product volumes, stock additional raw materials and packaging, and modernise operations with state-of-the-art technology. The additional production and packaging line will increase output at the Whitwood Common Lane facility, which has served as Haribo’s principal manufacturing and distribution hub since its initial build in 2013 – a project reported at the time to be worth around £92m. Together with the nearby Pontefract site, the two Yorkshire factories produce approximately 80 per cent of all Haribo sweets sold in the UK, with the Castleford plant alone capable of producing 48,000 tonnes of sweets annually.
The project was delivered in partnership with Yorkshire-based Caddick Construction, which used a predominantly local supply chain. Construction of the new warehouse was completed while the adjacent factory remained fully operational, ensuring no disruption to production.
Economic and Community Impact
The expansion reinforces Haribo’s long-term commitment to West Yorkshire, a region that contributes £7.7bn to the UK economy through advanced manufacturing and engineering and has the largest manufacturing workforce in the North of England, employing more than 112,000 people. Haribo is one of several global companies, including Cummins, Syngenta and Burberry, with a base in the area. The UK confectionery market, valued at an estimated £16.18bn in 2024 and projected to reach £22.06bn by 2030, continues to evolve with trends including reduced-sugar and fortified sweets, flavour innovation and vegan confectionery. Haribo maintains its position as the UK’s leading sweets manufacturer, with four of the top ten best-selling confectionery products coming from the Haribo or Maoam brands. The company has also invested more than £20m in its 13 UK retail stores.
Phil Murphy, chief marketing officer of Haribo UK & Ireland, said: “We’ve been part of West Yorkshire for more than 50 years and we’re very proud to call it home. The region plays a hugely important role in Haribo’s success across the UK, from the products we make here through to the people, skills and manufacturing expertise that support our operations every day. Being the UK’s leading sweets manufacturer is something we are incredibly proud of, and this investment reflects the important role West Yorkshire continues to play in that success.”
Yvette Cooper, who has represented the constituency since 1997 and held roles including Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary, said: “It was great to cut the ribbon at the opening of the new warehouse at Haribo’s Castleford site. I’m really pleased that the new warehouse will allow them to expand and continue to support 700 jobs across our area. Haribo are a brilliant manufacturer who have been at the heart of our towns for decades, carrying on our sweet making tradition.”
Beyond employment, Haribo has demonstrated its commitment to the local community through an 18-year partnership with Martin House Children’s Hospice, supporting its £2m campaign target, and through its headline sponsorship of the Pontefract Liquorice Festival. The company’s UK roots stretch back to 1972, when it acquired Dunhills, the Pontefract-based producer of liquorice cakes. Founded in Bonn, Germany, in 1920 by Hans Riegel – the company name an acronym of HAns RIegel BOnn – Haribo created its first gummy bear in 1922. Popular UK products include Starmix, which typically contains flavours such as pineapple, strawberry, apple, lemon, orange and raspberry, with key ingredients including glucose syrup, sugar and gelatin.
Steve Ford, regional managing director of Caddick Construction North East & Yorkshire, said: “It has been a privilege to work with Haribo on this impressive expansion project, which has been especially significant with Haribo making such a huge contribution to employment locally to our Wakefield head office. Together with our local supply chain partners, our team worked hard to deliver the new warehouse to a world-class standard to support Haribo’s high-calibre production. We’re proud to have played our part in this project, creating a facility that will have a lasting impact on Yorkshire’s manufacturing sector and the wider community.”
