Shailesh Vara MP has visited Coca Cola European Partners Customer Hub in Woodston to celebrate its 25 year milestone in the city.

Since it opened in 1998, the Hub has expanded from 45 employees to 150 today which makes it a significant employer for the Peterborough community. Staff working at the Customer Hub provide services to more than 100,000 UK clients including shops, restaurants and pubs that stock Coca Cola products.

The Hub also offers a Field Sales Apprenticeship Programme and last year employed 6 apprentices and will do the same again in 2017.

During the visit, Mr Vara was briefed on future plans for the Hub and met with Vice President Field Sales An Vermeulen, Sarah Breary, Associate Director of the Customer Hub and Nev Saunderson, Senior Manager for Customer Access at Coca European Partners. Mr Vara and Ms Vermeulen spoke to employees both past and present who shared memories and experiences.

Following his visit Mr Vara said:

“I was very pleased to celebrate Coca-Cola’s quarter century milestone in Peterborough with both current and former employees. Over the years the company has grown from strength to strength and as well as supporting shops, restaurants and pubs across the U.K, the company continues to play a significant role in and around the city. It was a great pleasure to meet both current and former staff and to see first-hand how the Hub operates. I am particularly pleased about last year's successful Apprenticeship Programme and it is good to see that there will be more apprenticeships this year.

I wish Coca-Cola every success in Peterborough for many more years to come.”

Photo: Mr Vara following the unveiling of the plaque. From left-to-right are: An Vermeulen, Shailesh Vara MP, Ian Knibbs, Fundraising Manager for YMCA Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and Sarah Breary.