The Devon-based makers of Ambrosia Custard are set to invest £19m in new equipment at their Lifton site, in a move designed to boost production and secure the future of more than 320 jobs.
The factory, which has been operating on the Devon–Cornwall border for more than a century, will modernise its rice pudding and custard production lines to free up capacity for Ambrosia’s increasingly popular porridge pots. The expansion will allow the company to produce an extra 10 million pots a year.
Driven by rising porridge demand
Rachel Matheson, the factory’s general manager, said porridge growth was driving the investment.
“We’re now in the breakfast aisle, and this brand is growing,” she said. “We need to really increase capacity, so the investment has been driven by porridge growth.”
Alongside upgrading existing facilities, a new custard-making plant will also be built. Work on the expansion is expected to be completed by next summer.
A family tradition in Lifton
The factory has long been central to the local community, with many employees living in the surrounding area. Operations manager Ben Palmer, whose father also worked at the site, now shares the factory floor with his brother, brother-in-law and sister-in-law.
“It’s not just a job for me because my family have been here and I live in Lifton,” he said. “It’s more of a lifestyle. I’m really passionate about improving our lines and production, and because of the family connection, I want it to do well personally as well.”
A century of production
Ambrosia’s Lifton site first opened in 1917, producing dried milk powder for First World War troops. Today, it processes more than 50 million litres of milk each year from West Country farms, turning it into around 65 million kilograms of custard and rice pudding.
The latest investment highlights Premier Foods’ commitment to maintaining Ambrosia’s place as one of the UK’s most enduring food brands, while also adapting to changing consumer habits in the breakfast market.
