Boka Food invests £2m to open cereal bar factory

Cereal bar brand Boka Food has invested more than £2m into building its own 12,000 sq ft manufacturing facility in Winchester, Hampshire.

The business, which launched in 2016, unexpectedly lost its main co-packer in 2022 and then struggled to find an operator that could produce the cold-pressed bars it requires.

The new Winchester factory can initially produce 21 million bars a year in one shift with the added ability to add another line if required. The premises is also 100% nut-free. To help operate and run the factory, the business has expanded its team by 17.

Boka bars are stocked across foodservice operators including through Bidfood, Brakes and DDC Foods, which supply them into hospitals (staff and visitor dining), universities, schools, leisure clubs and corporate dining locations. They are available in four flavours: apple and cinnamon, strawberry, choco mallow and caramel.

Boka founder Franco Beer said: “We couldn’t find a manufacturer that could produce our Boka bars to a high enough standard, so we decided we’d do it ourselves. Converting a warehouse into a fully functioning, SALSA-approved factory in the space of seven months, has been a real labour of love but we’re so proud of what we’ve achieved.

“We now control the whole manufacturing process which allows us to produce exceptional quality bars, as well as ramping up our innovation pipeline. It also gives us capacity to co-pack for other food brands. This is an area I am keen to explore as I know how difficult it is finding a manufacturer with the skills to be able to make consistently good quality bars at the right price.”

Boka was born after its founder Beer couldn’t find healthy snacks for his children’s lunchboxes. He spent six years innovating and developing a healthier cereal bar which was low in sugar, fat and salt, was under 100 calories a bar, as well as focusing on taste.

He added: “There was a lag in healthy snack food innovation but now the UK government has confirmed the implementation of a ban on advertising less healthy food from October 2025, we expect to see more focus on producing HFSS [high in fat, salt and sugar] regulations-compliant food products.

“With our new factory and keen focus on health and taste, Boka is well-placed to maximise this opportunity.”