Around 24 jobs are to be created at KP's snack factory in Ashby with the announcement that its Better For You Popchips brand is being moved to the Smisby Road site.

Popchips production had previously being farmed out to other areas of the UK and to Belgium.

But now it will be based at 1,800 metre facility in Ashby and the new jobs will be made available as a result.

Popchips will also be doing its bit for the planet with a new pack design set to launch before the end of the year.

This will feature less plastic packaging.

KP said in a statement: "We estimate that 23 tonnes of packing will be saved, the equivalent of five million fewer packs."

The aim is for the company to make all plastic film packaging fully recyclable by 2025.

The new facility was approved last year and has taken just over a year to build.

Mark Duffy, manufacturing director of KP Snacks, told Food & Drink International: "We're very excited to be able to open our brand new popchips facility at Ashby.

"The local community is at the heart of what we do so to be able to recruit 24 new positions has been a source of great pride for us, particularly at a time when jobs up and down the country are being cut.

"This is an exciting time for Popchips as, along with opening a brand new factory in our Ashby site, we will also be rolling out a whole new look for the brand: a brand new pack design that is 'more popchips', tastier and stands out more on shelf.

"On top of all that, in line with our commitment at KP Snacks to reduce our packaging impact on the environment, we will be reducing our popchips packaging by 23 tonnes a year, or 10 per cent, which equates to 5.11 million packs. And all our packs can be recycled via our partnership with TerraCycle."