A father and son who both work at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners’ (CCEP) Wakefield manufacturing facility are starring in a major new campaign celebrating multi-generational careers in food and drink manufacturing.
Mark and Lewis Baker, Reliability Engineer and Utilities & Facilities Apprentice respectively, are among the stars of Counter Cultures, CCEP’s new campaign highlighting the families and businesses behind Britain’s drinks industry – from production line to point of sale.
At the centre of the campaign is a hero film, starring Mark and Lewis, which connects Coca-Cola’s Wakefield manufacturing site with local businesses, tracing the journey from production to the community counters where Coca-Cola products are served.
The stories of both CCEP colleagues and each business involved in the campaign will launch on social media channels alongside a nationwide out of home campaign, including large scale murals in Leeds, Birmingham, Wakefield and Manchester.
The Bakers’ story reflects a wider trend in manufacturing: new research commissioned by Coca-Cola shows nearly three in five young people (58%) are considering vocational careers, and over half (52%) want to follow in their families’ footsteps.
Manufacturing’s pull: proximity, stability and purpose
The research reveals nearly half of Gen Z (47%) are looking to build careers closer to home, with proximity to family (44%) and a more affordable cost of living (27%) among the key factors. In Yorkshire specifically, a third of respondents (33%) said they’ve noticed more young people staying local rather than moving away, with the majority citing positive impacts on local businesses (53%), communities (48%) and economies (48%).
I grew up knowing my dad worked at the Wakefield factory, so joining the team myself felt like I was really following in my family’s footsteps.
Lewis Baker, Utilities & Facilities Apprentice, CCEP
For the Bakers, working together at Britain’s largest soft drinks manufacturing facility combines family connection with skilled careers in a sector that’s central to the region.
They are continuing a family connection to the factory that spans more than 25 years. Their story reflects the multi-generational teams behind Coca-Cola’s local operations, and the pride, skill and sense of community shared by those working at the site.
Lewis, 17-years-old Utilities & Facilities Apprentice, said: “I grew up knowing my dad worked at the Wakefield factory, so joining the team myself felt like I was really following in my family’s footsteps. He’s been there for 25 years, and working alongside him has taught me so much – not just about the job, but about the pride people take in making something that’s part of everyday life for families and businesses.
There’s a real sense of community on-site, you see familiar faces and people look out for each other. It means a lot knowing you’re part of something your family’s been connected to for so long.”
Wakefield site: employer of 600 people
The Wakefield facility, which employs 600 people, produces 13,000 bottles and cans every minute across brands including Coca-Cola Original Taste, Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, Fanta, Dr. Pepper and Sprite and Schweppes.
The manufacturing sector faces a critical skills challenge, but stories like Mark and Lewis’s demonstrate the enduring appeal of careers in production when young people understand the opportunities available. At CCEP, we’ve been investing in apprenticeships for over 20 years – building career pathways that span decades.
Sharon Blyfield, Head of Early Careers & Apprenticeships, CCEP
Kath Duncan, Site Director at CCEP Wakefield, said: “Mark has been at Wakefield for 25 years, so watching Lewis come through as an apprentice now is really special.
“You don’t get those types of connections at every workplace and I think when young people can see their parents building careers here, doing skilled work that has a real impact on the local community, they can see themselves doing that too.”
Investing in manufacturing’s future talent pipeline
CCEP has been running apprenticeship programmes for over 20 years, with its first apprentices joining in 2005. The company currently employs 102 apprentices, rising to 120 when including Career Builder participants, a programme supporting mid-career returners to learning. Over the last five years alone, CCEP has trained 225 apprentices across its UK operations.
The company’s approach goes beyond entry-level recruitment. It operates a ten-year engineering workforce plan tracking projected retirements through to 2035, ensuring continuous talent pipeline development. In 2025, CCEP launched four new apprenticeship pathways (facilities engineering, utilities engineering, project management, and distribution), with further pathways in food science and governance launching in 2026.
The Coca-Cola System, including Costa and bottling partner CCEP, employs over 31,000 people in Great Britain. 97% of the drinks it sells in GB are produced domestically, making manufacturing sites like Wakefield critical to both the company’s operations and local economies.
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