CASE STUDY – Wrigley UK 2016

Exports from Wrigley UK, Plymouth

Although it has its origins in the USA, The Wrigley Company (a subsidiary of Mars Incorporated) has a long and proud UK history. Wrigley’s Spearmint gum was first launched in the UK in 1911 and by 1925 business had reached such a level that it was decided to build a Wrigley factory in the UK itself. The first factory opened in 1927 in Wembley, North London.  In 1970, the factory and UK head office were relocated to Plymouth in the South West of England. Today, almost 500 people are now employed in the UK and Ireland.

Exports from Wrigley Plymouth

Wrigley Plymouth is a key manufacturing site for our business. 35% of the output from Plymouth is exported to Europe and further afield.  Some of the key products that we produce in the UK for export include our sugarfree chewing gums, Extra® and Airwaves® and Hubba Bubba® bubble gum, all in a variety of pack formats.

Key export markets:

We export these iconic brands and well-loved products to twenty three markets around the world. They travel as far as South Africa and Australia via road and ocean freight.

Milestones in our success

We have invested in new machinery and facilities to improve our overall efficiency and increase the range of products that the factory can supply. Two major machine installations have supported the growth in export volume in recent years; a new production line producing our bottle packs and a multipack line dedicated to producing our multipacks of product for export.

Our ambitions

Here at Wrigley Plymouth, as we continue to grow, we will continue to investigate how we can maximise the efficiency and sustainability of our supply chain to meet the growth ambitions of our markets.

Sectors: Food & Drink and Food & Drink Manufacturing
Topics: Business Development, Export Planning, and Market Research
Export Action Plan