Breakfast cereal firm applies to build new factory

The firm behind iconic breakfast cereals including Shredded Wheat, Shreddies and Cheerios has applied to build a new factory.

Cereal Partners UK, a joint venture between Nestle and General Mills, wants to build the new factory next to its existing facility at Staverton, near Trowbridge, Wiltshire.

The plan is part of a £67m investment into the site, which the company said will create a further 145 factory jobs and 45 admin roles.

A decision on the factory expansion by Wiltshire Council is expected around the beginning of March, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The proposed development will provide an extra 25,833 sq ft (2,400 sq m) to the breakfast cereal facility.

Cereal Partners UK has been operating in the Trowbridge area since the mid-20th century.

The company says the development will help it return to the peak levels of production seen in 2020.

In March, the company announced the closure of its plant in the Wirral with the loss of more than 300 jobs, blaming changing consumer habits.

"Sales of breakfast cereal are in significant decline owing to the changing habits of UK and Irish consumers and greater competition from alternative breakfast options," said a spokesperson.

In November, the firm applied for planning permission to install 'flood resilience measures' following a "significant flooding event" in November 2024, where flood waters almost breached the building, risking safe production.

That application is still under consultation

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