Ballygowan has been produced and bottled in Newcastle West since 1984 and currently employs 55 people at the facility.  It was acquired by Britvic Ireland in 2007. 

The company said consumer demand has grown in recent years with sales of Ballygowan products undergoing double-digit volume growth compared to pre-covid levels.

The company already made a €2m investment in 2021 at the facility to allow the bottles to be made from recyclable plastic (rPET) which can be reused continuously if recycled correctly.

Britvic Ireland is Ireland’s largest domestic producer of soft drinks and the second-largest drinks company by volume. 70% of soft drinks consumed in Ireland are imported and 30% are domestically manufactured, of which Britvic Ireland produces 28%.

Along with Ballygowan, the company produces MiWadi, Club, Cidona and TK brands as well as Pepsi and 7UP which they produce and market under licence.

Britvic Ireland managing director Kevin Donnelly said: “This investment will create new manufacturing roles for the local area, provide additional bottling capacity for the equivalent of 50m 500ml bottles of Ballygowan made from fully recycled and recyclable plastic, enhance production capability, and underpin the strong sustainability credentials of our site."

“We are incredibly proud of this latest milestone in Ballygowan’s journey as Ireland’s most loved and leading bottled water brand, and the benefits this investment will return for Britvic Ireland and the wider community in Newcastle West.”

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Simon Coveney said the investment will support the growth, expansion, and sustainability credentials of one of Ireland’s best-known water brands.

"I warmly welcome the creation of 28 new manufacturing roles at the facility, and the strategic investment in the sustainable, long-term production of Ballygowan mineral water,” he said.