First Minister Carwyn Jones officially opened a new £4 million burger facility in Llanelwedd today.

The Burger Manufacturing Company, which has occupied the site, near Buith Wells, since 2000 received support of up to 40% of the cost of its new building through the Welsh Government’s Food Business Investment Scheme.

25 new jobs will be created as a result of the expansion in addition to the 43 people already employed, as well as increasing production of the successful company.

The First Minister opened the original site in Wyeside Enterprise park 17 years ago when he was secretary of agriculture and rural development. He said: “I’m pleased to return to the Burger Manufacturing Company to officially open this new larger production facility which has been supported by more than £1.4 million of Welsh Government and European Union investment.

“The company plays an important role in contributing to the local economy in Powys and is supplying not only UK customers, but also exporting into Europe.

“This is an excellent example of how businesses in rural Wales are a key component of Wales’ economic drive and vitally important to our food and farming sectors.”

The new factory includes some of the latest food production technology, serving customers throughout the UK from small independent fast food businesses to large chains and restaurants.

Mark Cornall, head of sales and marketing for BMC, said: “We’ve been growing year-on-year and we knew that to meet future growth we’d have to develop a new larger facility.

“We can now increase production for existing and new customers while developing new and exciting products for a range of markets.”

The Burger Manufacturing Company currently produces over 37.5 million burgers per year and as well as UK customers, they export products to countries in Europe like Spain and France.

The company makes vegetarian burgers as well as beef, and has developed new gourmet products targeted at higher end eateries which were offered to guests at the opening including Powys council leader Rosemarie Harris and local AM Kirsty Williams.