PepsiCo is putting more capex into Ireland after completing a €127m ($133.5m) investment project in the same site and the adjacent R&D facilities earlier this year.
The beverage group is spending €39m at its Little Island site in Cork. It has allocated €36.6m of the total funding toward a new facility for “beverage ingredients”. The Little Island site produces concentrate for brands including Pepsi, Pepsi Max, Gatorade, 7Up and Mountain Dew.
The expansion also includes a €2.4m for a major solar photovoltaic (PV) installation at the Little Island facility. The installation will generate 1820 kW and have “peak capacity to provide 100% of the plant’s electrical demand”, according to a statement from the Little Island Business Association.
Over the course of twelve months, the solar panels will “provide 22% of the electricity” required by the site.
PepsiCo’s Little Island site director, Brian Colgan, said: “This latest investment will provide additional capacity for the markets we serve, enhance production capability, and further reinforce the strong sustainability credentials of our site in Little Island.
“As we approach 50 years in Cork, we are extremely proud of this latest milestone and the benefits that will arise for Little Island and the wider Cork region.”
PepsiCo employs more than 1,250 people in Ireland.
Simon Coveney, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment said: “This latest multi-million-euro investment by PepsiCo, the second this year, reinforces its commitment to Ireland and to Cork.
“The company’s positive impact on the Irish economy since it first established a presence here in 1974 is hugely significant.”
