Nomad Foods is investing £2,2 million in its Lowestoft, Suffolk, plant, one of the group's largest production sites in Europe. The move involves installing a new line dedicated to producing the famous potato waffles from Nomad Foods, owner of brands such as Birds Eye, Findus, iglo, Ledo, and Frikom.
The investment is one of the key initiatives of the multi-year productivity program announced by the company in 2025, aimed at improving the efficiency, competitiveness and production capacity of the entire European industrial network.
Thanks to the new line, annual potato waffle production capacity will increase to approximately 18.250 tons, equivalent to nearly 45 million packs annually. This significant increase will meet growing British consumer demand for one of Birds Eye's flagship products.
The project is part of a broader development plan for the Lowestoft plant. In recent months, Nomad Foods has already invested £12 million in its chicken processing operations and is progressing with a project to install a wind turbine on the production site. The goal is to ensure more stable energy costs and greater sustainability for the industrial operations, which already rely on electricity from renewable sources.
For the group, strengthening local production takes on strategic value in a context characterized by growing pressure on global supply chains and an increasingly oriented demand for convenient and easily preservable foods.
"This new investment demonstrates our long-term commitment to British food manufacturing," said Eduardo Bachiega, Chief Supply Officer at Nomad Foods. "By increasing production capacity, we're directly responding to consumer demand for staple products like potato waffles, which are already produced non-stop, around-the-clock at the facility."
Bachiega also emphasized how the company continues to invest in ensuring the affordability of key frozen food categories, including fish, vegetables, chicken, and potatoes, at a time when the cost of living continues to be a challenge for many families.
The Lowestoft plant, in operation since 1949, occupies over 25 acres and is the largest private employer in the area. Some of Birds Eye's most popular products are produced here, including chicken dippers, potato waffles, peas, and breaded fish. Approximately 15% of production is exported to the group's other European markets to meet growing international demand.
With this new investment, Nomad Foods confirms its commitment to consolidating its manufacturing base in the UK, supporting the resilience of the food supply chain and its ability to serve millions of consumers in Europe.
