Haribo plants a sweet treat time capsule

Dave Woolaston, Herwig, Frank Windmann and Georgia plant the capsule. Picture by Porl Medlock.

The container, which includes memorabilia celebrating the district’s confectionery-making heritage, was buried at the company’s Castleford factory.

It marks the end of the first full year of production at the site, which opened in 2015.

Herwig Vennekens, managing director of Haribo UK comments: “Our district has a rich heritage of producing confectionery.

Herwig with Vince Cable at the factory site in 2013.

“In our capsule we capture this whilst also showcasing our most recent examples of how sweet treats are made today.

“Our new site, which will continue to build upon the district’s experience and expertise in confectionery production alongside our Pontefract facility, will house the capsule which we hope will be opened in 25 years.”

Employee Dave Woolaston, 71, who has worked with Haribo for more than 27 years, joined one of the team’s most recent recruits 18-year-old Georgia Beaman to plant the memento.

Its items span almost ten decades, showing early examples of how liquorice was made as well as documenting Haribo’s journey of sweet production.

The capsule, put together by employees, their families and company partners, also includes world and regional news articles from the day it was planted.

Mr Woolaston said: “I was really surprised when I was asked to help plant the capsule, but it was a great privilege.

“I hope the team who retrieve the capsule in 25 years have as much enjoyment as we did planting it.”

Haribo announced plans to invest £92m to build a new Castleford factory in October 2013, as an addition to its other UK manufacturing facility in Pontefract.

After two years of building, the first products were made at the site last year.