A drinks giant is to create 40 jobs as part of an ambitious multi-million pound project.

Chelmsford-based Britvic Soft Drinks needs fresh staff to add extra fizz to the launch of a new series of products.

The company - which is the British producer of big-name soft drinks like Pepsi, Tango and 7-Up - is planning a range of new drinks, but details of the new refreshments are being kept top secret.

It will also be redeveloping some of its existing brands.

The firm, which has its headquarters in Broomfield Road and a factory on the Widford Industrial Estate, is now searching for full-time factory workers and engineers to fill the vacancies.

A spokeswoman for Britvic, which has had a factory at Widford since 1955, said: "We're looking to recruit about 40 new staff - a mixture of permanent and temporary.

"We're going to modify some of the products we've already got in."

A smaller 250ml can of Tango, aimed at the children's lunchbox market, will be made at the Widford Industrial Estate factory. Britvic bosses hope the new line will bring in £12 million in its first year.

The spokeswoman said the newly-recruited staff would be working on other new brands, but as the products are still being developed she was unable to reveal any more details.

"It's traditional that Widford has been the new development production factory," she added.

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