Jelly Babies factory in Sheffield contributes £58m to the UK economy

Mondelēz International, makers and bakers of brands including Maynards Bassetts, Cadbury and OREO, has launched its latest economic and social report - Mondelēz UK: Making the Right Impact - which details the UK operation’s economic contribution.

The American multinational confectionery company said its UK business added £933m in Gross Value Added (GVA) to the UK economy in 2021, with its Sheffield factory, contributing £58m.

GVA is the value generated by any unit engaged in the production of goods and services.

The site in Sheffield, which is one of nine Mondelēz International sites around the UK, employs 313 jobs directly and supports a further 353 jobs indirectly through supply chain procurement.

Founded in 1842 by George Bassett, Bassett’s began life in Sheffield as a small confectioner. Liquorice Allsorts, were created by accident in 1899 and Jelly Babies have been produced by the brand since 1918.

Now the city’s sweet factory, which also produces Trebor Mints, is the firm’s biggest confectionery site in Europe producing over 600 tonnes of sweets per week, equating to over 40,000 tonnes a year.

Rui Ascensao, Mondelēz International’s manufacturing director in Sheffield, said: “It’s an honour and a privilege to be a custodian of our Sheffield site, over 100 years with over 350 makers and bakers continue to produce beloved Maynards Bassetts and Trebor products including Wine Gums, Jelly Babies and Mints.”

Since 2017, Mondelēz International said it has used the UK Apprenticeship Levy to create new career paths into the business, investing £160,000 into Sheffield’s apprenticeships and training.

To date the business has employed 10 apprentices at the Sheffield Factory, creating career paths into the business for the next generation of talent across Yorkshire.

In July 2021, the Sheffield factory switched to running on 100 per cent on renewable electricity generated solely in Great Britain, joining five other Mondelēz International production sites.

As part of a wider company goal to reduce end to end CO2 emissions by 10 per cent by 2025, it said the switch has already saved over 19,000 tonnes of carbon which equates to the offset of 2,900 people’s worth of CO2 emissions.

Cementing roots across the community, the ‘Your Charity, Your Choice’ scheme, funded through The Cadbury Foundation, launched in 2013.

It gives employees of UK Mondelēz International the opportunity to nominate charities close to their hearts with the chance of receiving a £5,000 grant donated to their chosen charity.

Since 2013, Sheffield has donated £50,000 via Sheffield’s Mondelēz International employees to 10 local charities including Sheffield Wildcats, a local children’s sports club, Cadbury FC, Zest, Support dogs, The Burton Street Societies and PSPA amongst many others.