Branston Potatoes Ltd
| Private | |
| ISIN | 🆔 |
| Industry | Agriculture, Food processing |
| Founded 📆 | 1968 |
| Founder 👔 | Group of Lincolnshire farmers |
Area served 🗺️ | United Kingdom |
Key people | James ('Jim') Windle (Group CEO), Jo Hill (CFO)[1][2] |
| Products 📟 | Fresh potatoes, Prepared potatoes, Sweet potatoes, Seed potatoes |
| Revenue🤑 | £200–300 million (approx.)[3] |
| Members | |
Number of employees | |
| 🌐 Website | branston.com |
| 📇 Address | |
| 📞 telephone | |
Branston Potatoes Ltd (also "Branston Ltd") is a British agricultural and food‑processing company specialising in potatoes. It handles all stages of potato supply: from growing and supplying seed potatoes, through fresh and prepared potato products, to value‑added processing. The company is headquartered near the village of Branston, south of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, England, with additional sites elsewhere in the UK.
History
Branston was established in 1968 by a group of Lincolnshire farmers as a cooperative to grow and market potatoes and peas. The company transitioned over time from mainly processing operations to wholesale and retail supply. During the 1990s, it began packing potatoes for major UK retailers, including Tesco.[4]
Expansion followed with new sites in Somerset (1997) and Abernethy, Scotland, allowing year-round supply and broader regional reach. The company restructured as a private company in 2006 and is now part of Branston Holdings Ltd.[5]
Operations
Branston operates from three main sites:[6]
- Lincoln, Lincolnshire (Head office and main processing facility)
- Ilminster, Somerset (South West site)
- Abernethy, Perthshire (Scottish site)
Its operations cover:
- Fresh potatoes for retail
- Prepared and chilled potato products
- Sweet potatoes
- Seed potato production
- Value-added processing (e.g. mashed and ready-to-eat products)
In 2024, Branston opened a new mash production facility in Lincoln capable of producing over 23 million packs of chilled mash annually.[7] The company has also developed a facility to extract functional plant-based proteins and starches from lower-grade potatoes, in partnership with RootExtracts Ltd. [8]
Sustainability
Branston has invested in multiple sustainability initiatives:
- Anaerobic digestion to turn waste potatoes into renewable energy
- Water recycling systems in potato washing[9]
- Solar PV installations across processing sites[10]
- Reuse of 'wonky' or off-grade potatoes in prepared products
The company has publicly committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2030.[11]
Recognition
Branston has received several awards and recognitions:
- Tesco's "Best Supplier for Carbon Reduction Technology"[12]
- Livery of the Year award for branded transport fleet (2011)[13]
- Multiple retailer supplier awards for quality and sustainability[14] [15]
Employment
As of recent figures, Branston employs over 850 people across its UK sites, making it one of the largest employers in the Lincolnshire food sector.[16]
See also
References
- ↑ "Branston - The Executive Board". Branston.
- ↑ "BRANSTON HOLDINGS LIMITED - People". Companies House. gov.uk.
- ↑ "Branston Holdings Limited – Financials". Endole.
- ↑ "Branston – Company History". Branston.
- ↑ "BRANSTON HOLDINGS LIMITED - Overview". Companies House. gov.uk.
- ↑ "Branston – Our Sites". Branston.
- ↑ "Branston opening mash potato facility in 2024 creating 90 jobs". FoodManufacture. 19 October 2023.
- ↑ "Branston to open new £6 million factory to extract potato protein". FoodManufacture. 14 April 2022.
- ↑ "Water recycling plant helps potato packing firm cut water use by 85%". PotatoPro. 6 December 2013.
- ↑ "Branston – Sustainability". Branston.
- ↑ "Branston gains international validation on net-zero goals". Branston.
- ↑ "BRANSTON AWARDED BEST SUPPLIER FOR CARBON REDUCTION TECHNOLOGY". Potato Grower.
- ↑ "Branston Potato truck humour wins top award". PotatoPro. 6 December 2013.
- ↑ "Top environmental impact reduction performers recognised at Carbon Trust Corporate Sustainability Summit". Carbon Trust. 17 October 2017.
- ↑ "Branston lands Tesco award as growers go green". FruitNet.
- ↑ "Branston Ltd company profile". Endole.
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