Award-winning, zero calorie tonic start-up Skinny Tonic is ramping up its expansion plans after agreeing terms on a 12,133 sq ft unit within phase one of the £20m Mersey Reach industrial development in Aintree.
Skinny Tonic has signed a 10-year lease at Mersey Reach, which is being developed by Chancerygate, and has invested £5m into a new state of the art canning and bottling production facility. Once installed, the lines will enable Skinny Tonic to produce 36,000 cans and 15,000 bottles of tonic per hour.
The Aintree-headquartered business currently employs 11 people and hopes to create a further nine jobs due to the expansion. Fit-out work has already begun, with production at the new facility commencing this month.
Leasing the new unit forms part of Skinny Tonic’s ambitious growth plans, which recently saw the company exceed its £1m crowdfunding target for an 8.83 per cent equity stake in just 24 hours. They have since closed the round 240 per cent over subscribed, raising £2.4m.
Commenting on the new facility, Skinny Tonic founder, Ian Minton, said: “I am absolutely delighted to have secured our new HQ. The team are really excited to move in and make it our home. Working with Chancerygate has been very easy for us, they couldn’t have done more to accommodate our needs.”
The deal means three out of the four units available at phase one of Mersey Reach, which is located on Dunnings Bridge Road, have now been let prior to the scheme achieving practical completion.
One 42,518 sq ft unit remains available within phase one of development, which is strategically located on a prominent gateway route into the new Liverpool SuperPort and provides quick access to the M57 and M58.
In December, Chancerygate secured planning permission for a revised phase two scheme at Mersey Reach, which will see the developer build out a new scheme of 12 units totalling 102,000 sq ft.
Mike Walker, development director and head of Chancerygate’s Warrington office, said: “Skinny Tonic is expanding at pace, so we are very pleased they have chosen Mersey Reach to help enable the business to continue on its upward trajectory.
“Securing Skinny Tonic as an occupier is testimony to Mersey Reach delivering much-needed high quality industrial and warehousing space in a key strategic location. The only remaining phase one unit is attracting a great deal of interest and, with revised plans for phase two now approved, we’re excited about the positive impact Mersey Reach will bring to the region for years to come.”
Skinny Tonic debuted in the market last year after a soft launch in 2019 and produces a range of organic flavoured tonics with no sugar or artificial ingredients. The business recently picked up the Best New Brand Award / Business and the Best Sparkling Drink Award at the FoodBev Media Awards 2020.
CBRE and B8 Real Estate are joint agents for Mersey Reach.