Member Article

Jobs boost for Seabrook after LEP grant

A grant from the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has helped Seabrook, the Yorkshire-based crisp maker, invest in new machinery and create a number of jobs.

The business has been awarded a grant from the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership’s Business Growth Programme, which is supported by the government’s Regional Growth Fund. The £32,730 grant is expected to create around four new jobs at the Bradford site.

Seabrook, which currently employs 150 staff, has invested a significant 6-figure sum alongside the LEP grant to help drive its innovation programme, improve production flexibility and boost turnover.

Roger Marsh, Chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership, explained: “Seabrook is a long-established Bradford company and a really innovative business. We are delighted to have been able to assist in creating a number of new jobs in the region and helping the company to accelerate its expansion plans ensuring the food and drink sector in the region continues to thrive.”

Over recent months the family-owned business has introduced straight cut crisps as well as the launch of lattice crisps - a UK first aimed at the premium end of the snacking sector. Both products are made in a range of flavours at the company’s Bradford base.

Kevin Butterworth, marketing director at Seabrook, said product innovation would continue as Seabrook looks to grow and increase its market share by meeting more consumer occasions.

Mr Butterworth said: “Investment in to our facilities will help improve efficiencies, drive flexibility and help support our innovation launches. The Business Growth Programme grant has helped us to continue with our growth push, freeing up investment and therefore the funding has been extremely beneficial.”

Seabrook learnt about the programme through Bradford Council and Mr Butterworth said the support the company had received through the application process had been invaluable. He added “We would certainly encourage other organisations to see how the programme can assist them.”

Bradford Council Leader, Councillor Dave Green, said: “Seabrook Crisps are a well-established Bradford business and it’s good to see they are expanding and taking on more staff. I’m delighted they have recognised that this expansion has been aided through help and support they have received from Bradford Council investment officers”.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Robert Beaumont .