Specialist Ebbw Vale food manufacturer Zorba Delicacies is investing around £10m in a new facility at Tredegar to handle the manufacture of a range of products which will create 100 new jobs in the area.

The company produces an extensive range of premium dips, deli sandwich fillings soups and sauces for major UK retailers and food service customers.

With its three manufacturing units at Rassau Industrial Estate now all fully occupied, Zorba has purchased the 60,616 sq ft former AG Barr premises at Tafarnaubach Industrial Estate, Tredegar to house future expansion.

Chris Nash, managing director, said: “We will be spending around £9m on the Tredegar building to create a state-of-the-art technically excellent food factory, where we will produce a range of food products.”

Zorba Delicacies relocated from London to South Wales in 1998 to a purpose-built factory at Rassau Industrial Estate and expanded its manufacturing facilities there in 2011 to include soups and sauces. It currently employs 340 people and has an annual turnover of £60m.

Chris Nash said: “We anticipate creating 100 new jobs in the first year of operation at Tredegar.”

Zorba Foods was advised in its search for additional property by commercial property consultancy Knight Frank.

The sale of the property was handled by Cardiff office of Knight Frank and associate Neil Francis, said: “We received good levels of interest in the property and it is positive that the sale was to a local company who were able to move quickly with the transaction and provide certainty and commitment to my client.”

"But when the Tredegar factory and warehouse became available it was a perfect match for Zorba Foods’ requirements.”

Chris Nash said: “I have worked in many food businesses and the people in Ebbw Vale and Tredegar are a top-quality workforce. We would not be where we are without them, so we were keen to expand within the area if possible.”