Princes Bradford - aerial

Princes’ Bradford site is its largest in the UK and predominantly produces own-label drinks

International food and drink group Princes has agreed a partnership with Capri-Sun to produce over 250 million juice pouches annually for the soft drinks brand.

The inking of a new “long-term partnership agreement” between Princes and Capri-Sun would create between 50 to 60 jobs at its production facility in Bradford, Princes said.

It came after Capri-Sun ended a decade-long partnership with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) to produce, sell and distribute its drinks in western Europe.

Production of the drinks would transition to Princes throughout 2024, with four production lines moving to the Bradford site, Capri-Sun said. All lines would be fully operational by spring 2025, it added.

Princes would co-pack two Capri-Sun formats: 200ml pouches with paper straws and 330ml pouches with a screw cap, Capri-Sun said.

As part of the transition, the brand would move to recyclable pouches (kerbside for 330ml and at large supermarkets for 200ml) and introduce tethered caps on its 330ml pouches.

Capri-Sun said move would “support its ambition of becoming the UK’s most sustainable children’s soft drinks brand”.

Andy Hargraves, Princes group commercial director for drinks, said the company was excited to make its Bradford site “the new UK home of this iconic and much-loved brand”.

The site, which employs 400 people, currently produces squash and juice drinks for a host of retailer own labels, as well as carbonated soft drinks.

Capri-Sun senior supply chain and operations executive Stefan Seiss added the tie-up would help “fulfil the demand and the quality to support the growth of Capri-Sun in Great Britain”.