Insider Media Limited

The health food giant behind brands such as Holland & Barratt and Julian Graves has unveiled two new sites in the West Midlands. NBTY Europe has invested more than £20m in the creation of the Nuneaton and Burton-on-Trent-based buildings.

NBTY Europe is the parent company of brands including Holland & Barrett, Julian Graves, GNC, Nature’s Way and De Tuinen.

The £6m Samuel Ryder House in Nuneaton will become the company’s new headquarters. It will be home to more than 160 employees and will house the central operations for all NBTY Europe brands.

Burton 2 is a 130,000 sq ft development on Sixth Avenue, Burton-on-Trent. The building was developed at a cost of more than £14m, and will become the company’s food processing and packing plant.

New equipment at the site includes a ‘chocolate coating plant’, and new fruit and nut production lines which will be capable of producing more than one million bagged products every week.

Roger Craddock, NBTY Europe’s group legal director, said: “During 2010, NBTY Europe posted sales in excess of £400m and opened more than 80 new stores, strong growth we are pleased and proud of - especially given the current challenging economic climate. This new investment in buildings, equipment and infrastructure underpins our commitment to providing customers with the highest quality products at excellent value.”

“Over the next 12 months, we are well placed to continue growth across all our brands within the group, as well as growing core and emerging categories. Last year, Holland & Barrett grew its natural beauty category 16 per cent year on year, with the sports nutrition category reporting growth of 14 per cent.”