Runcorn-based Protein Works to move to new £10million HQ

Protein Works, currently located Aragon Court in Runcorn, will move to its new ‘state-of-the-art’ campus in Speke, Liverpool following a multi-million-pound investment.

The move will see Protein Works consolidate its food manufacturing, global logistics, digital marketing, and technology operations into one 100,000ft2 purpose-built campus capable of scaling past £100m. 

Award-winning innovators of nutritional shakes, meals and snacks, the food brand is set to make the major move out of its Runcorn base in May 2025.

And the new site will consolidate multiple sites into one campus capable of housing all parts of its unique business model.

From a cutting-edge food manufacturing facility and global fulfilment centre to its technology and digital marketing platforms, the move will provide the business with the capability to handle current growth levels along with the headroom to continue to scale at pace.

The announcement follows a record year of growth for Protein Works, which saw a 40 per cent increase in year-on-year turnover, along with delivering record levels of profits.

With more than two million customers now, it has sold over 300 million shakes worldwide since its launch in 2012 and is geared for growth.

Protein Works CEO Laura Keir was recently listed in the top 50 most ambitious leaders in the UK and believes the move will cement the firm as one of the most ‘exciting brands in the functional food space’.

“Our teams, our people, we’re all incredibly proud and excited about this announcement,” she said.

“It’s a milestone in our growth journey and quite literally puts Protein Works on the map as one of the UK’s most ambitious functional food brands.

“We see the move as a blueprint for expansion, as we future proof the business’s physical capabilities for many years to come.”

Protein Works is currently based in Runcorn (Image: Supplied) Laura continued: “Our growth in recent years has been a testament to our team, and being based in the north west is a key part of Protein Works’ DNA, so we felt it was important to have that continuity, whilst also driving the business forward.

“The new location allows us to do all that. When you’re a fully integrated enterprise that combines product development, food manufacturing, marketing and technology into one business, it’s important that different parts of the business can collaborate at pace.

“Being together on one campus creates those synergies.” 

 Meanwhile director of product strategy and innovation, Kyle Crowley who has spearheaded the focus on manufacturing and quality capabilities added: “We delivered over three million units to our customers last year, and we’re set to double that number over the next three to four years.

“Product innovation is a key commercial lever in our growth plans.”

Chief supply chain officer Stuart Barber believes the logistics platform rivals that of huge brands like Muller and Arla, both of which he’s experienced first-hand.

He said: “The thinking behind the final execution for our Logistics Centre is the most detailed and data-centric I’ve ever seen.

“If there’s a way to enable our incredible fulfilment teams to deliver even a 1 per cent improvement in efficiency, we’ll find it, our BI teams will substantiate it and our people will deliver it.” 

Lastly, David Bell, head of portfolio at YFM Equity Partners, the company backing Protein Works, said: “This is an exciting investment for a brand making huge strides in its industry.

“Protein Works’ team has taken the business from strength to strength in our five years with them, growing revenues close to £50m and doubling its EBITDA YoY.

“That type of performance has allowed the business to self-fund this move and secure its future in the exciting and growing market of functional foods.”