Protein Works Announces Move to New £10m Vertically Integrated HQ.
High Growth functional food business re-invests profits into state-of-the-art campus.
The move sees Protein Works consolidate its food manufacturing, global logistics, digital marketing, and technology operations into one 100,000ft2 purpose-built campus capable of scaling past £100m.
29th October 2024, Liverpool: In May 2025, Protein Works, the award-winning innovator of nutrition-packed shakes, meals, and snacks, will relocate to a brand new state-of-the-art facility, dubbed “P.Works Campus,” standing proud in the Liverpool City Region.
The move sees Protein Works consolidate multiple sites into one campus capable of housing all parts of its unique business model. From a cutting-edge food manufacturing facility and global fulfilment centre to its technology and digital marketing platforms, the move will provide the business with the capability to handle current growth levels along with the headroom to continue to scale at pace.
The announcement follows a record year of growth for Protein Works, which saw c.40% increase in year-on-year turnover, along with delivering record levels of profits. The business has over 2 million customers and has sold over 300 million shakes worldwide since its launch in 2012 and is geared for growth.
Protein Works CEO Laura Keir was recently listed in the top 50 most ambitious leaders in the UK and believes the move will cement Protein Works as one of the most exciting brands in the functional food space.
“Our teams, our people, we’re all incredibly proud and excited about this announcement. It’s a milestone in our growth journey and quite literally puts Protein Works on the map as one of the UK’s most ambitious functional food brands. We see the move as a blueprint for expansion, as we future-proof the business’s physical capabilities for many years to come.”
Laura continues: “Our growth in recent years has been a testament to our team, and being based in the North West is a key part of Protein Works’ DNA, so we felt it was important to have that continuity, whilst also driving the business forward. The new location allows us to do all that. When you’re a fully integrated enterprise that combines product development, food manufacturing, marketing and technology into one business, it’s important that different parts of the business can collaborate at pace. Being together on one campus creates those synergies.”
The new P.Works Campus brings together five separate locations in the North West into one purpose-built site. Investing over £2 million in the latest powder blending technology and research labs, the brand has the platform to produce its award-winning products, more efficiently than ever. With a strong commitment to ESG, the business’ investment into this new operation also enables them to cut their food waste in half over the coming year.
Director of Product Strategy & Innovation, Kyle Crowley has spearheaded the focus on manufacturing and quality capabilities: “We delivered over 3 million units to our customers last year, and we’re set to double that number over the next 3-4 years. Product innovation is a key commercial lever in our growth plans.”
Protein Works is not only one of the highest-growing brands in the sector, but it’s also one of the most profitable. “This investment will allow us to scale aggressively and profitably, whilst also increasing product quality to our customers around the world. It’s a key part of our strategy and vision for the next 5 years.” Kyle adds.
The P.Works Campus will also house a newly invested global Logistics Centre, capable of despatching millions of units around the world each year. With double the storage capacity and advances in logistic capabilities, the facility is primed to support the high growth of the brand’s e-commerce channel, which serves a growing customer base and loyal community.
Chief Supply Chain Officer Stuart Barber believes the logistics platform rivals that of huge brands like Muller and Arla, both of which he’s experienced first-hand: “The thinking behind the final execution for our Logistics Centre is the most detailed and data-centric I’ve ever seen. If there’s a way to enable our incredible fulfilment teams to deliver even a 1% improvement in efficiency, we’ll find it, our BI teams will substantiate it and our people will deliver it.”
The £10m move represents the largest single investment from the business to date. CEO, Laura Keir believes it’s been important for the business to reinvest at this level not only to elevate its operational prowess but also to significantly upgrade the wellbeing and lifestyle of its teammates: “This investment will bring practical and cultural benefits to the business and its employees. The P. Works Campus incorporates the latest thinking in workspace concepts aimed at supporting staff wellbeing and driving proactive collaboration. All of which are key to developing a high-performance culture. Equally, we have a hub of great amenities right on our doorstep on Speke Boulevard for anyone wanting to take time out.”
David Bell, Head of Portfolio at YFM Equity Partners, the company backing Protein Works, said, “This is an exciting investment for a brand making huge strides in its industry. Protein Works’ team has taken the business from strength to strength in our five years with them, growing revenues close to £50m and doubling its EBITDA YoY. That type of performance has allowed the business to self-fund this move and secure its future in the exciting and growing market of functional foods.”