140 jobs are set to be created at Banbury distribution company

Great Bear will now handle all of JDE UK’s logistics, serving as a modern coffee hub just two and a half miles away from JDE’s Banbury factory on Ruscote Avenue.

Amongst the 140 new job positions at Great Bear will be roles in warehouse operations, co-packing and transport.

Given the site’s proximity to JDE’s factory, the company hopes it will help to cut hundreds of miles off the journeys of products.

This will be in line with JDE’s goal to cut emissions of 15 per cent by 2025 at the Banbury factory.

Banbury JDE plant director Rob Williams said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Great Bear as our new national UK supply chain partner in Banbury. It’s fantastic to work with a great business that has a strong local presence in Banbury and we’re really pleased that the move will support more jobs in the wider area.”

Operations director at Great Bear, David McDonald said: “We are very excited to have secured a long-term partnership with JDE within our Banbury shared user facility. We believe passionately that there is a strong cultural link between our respective businesses and aspire to make a tangible contribution both in terms of service offering and in supporting JDE’s outstanding and continued growth in their sector. Equally, we are delighted to have the opportunity to create a significant number of new jobs in support of the local economy.”