PepsiCo buys plant next door for €3m

THE former Swissco plant in Cork’s Little Island has been bought in a quiet deal by next-door neighbour, PepsiCo, for about €3 million.

The purchase of the former ready-made meals factory, which went into liquidation two years ago with the loss of 154 jobs, is a strategic site acquisition for PepsiCo, which employs 600 in its three Cork locations, two in Little Island by the Swissco site, and one in Carrigaline, which opened in 2003 after a $100m investment.

Confirming the purchase of a 4.5 acre site to the east of its existing Little Island facility a PepsiCo Ireland spokesperson said “while there are no definite plans at this stage, the purchase of the adjacent land provides options for PepsiCo Ireland for future development”.