Middleton vinegar plant to get £17M expansion as Japanese firm backs Rochdale growth

Monday, 16 June 2025 13:48

By David Murphy

Mizkan’s £17 million investment will boost jobs, innovation and sustainability at its Middleton site

Japanese vinegar giant Mizkan has unveiled plans to inject £17 million into its Middleton factory, reinforcing Rochdale’s standing as a key player in European food manufacturing.

The major investment will support new product development, facility expansion, and upskilling initiatives at the Middleton plant, which produces both Japanese vinegar lines and the iconic Sarson’s vinegar brand.

Mizkan’s UK CEO, Chikara Tanaka, said: “Mizkan is excited to be investing in the future of our long-established Middleton factory, developing our people and equipping ourselves for innovation and growth, particularly within premium and Japanese vinegars.”

The announcement was timed to coincide with a Greater Manchester trade mission to Japan, led by Mayor Andy Burnham, currently visiting Osaka’s EXPO 2025. Mizkan is also set to headline Manchester’s Japan Week 2025 in September, marking the festival’s 50th anniversary.

Mayor Burnham welcomed the news, calling it “excellent for Greater Manchester” and praising the creation of “high-skilled jobs and advanced manufacturing growth.”

Rochdale Council leader Neil Emmott hailed the expansion as a “landmark investment” that will benefit the borough’s economy and create “innovation partnerships” and “high-quality jobs”.

The investment deepens Mizkan’s collaboration with the Centre of Expertise in Advanced Materials and Sustainability (CEAMS) and the University of Manchester, part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership that focuses on engineering and sustainable materials.

Joe Manning of MIDAS, Manchester’s inward investment agency, said the deal highlighted Rochdale’s appeal to international manufacturers and strengthened Greater Manchester’s ties with Japan, where over 25 firms already operate UK bases.