BOSSES of a new fizzy juice firm are bubbling with excitement at setting up in Port Glasgow.

The Start-Up Drinks Lab, founded by entrepreneurs Hannah Fisher and Craig Strachan, has officially moved into Kelburn Business Park.

Established just last year, the order book is already filling up for the company, which specialises in the development, manufacturing and bottling of small batch beverages and alcoholic refreshments such as beers and ciders.

Since production launched in mid-June, the lab was booked up with work for the first three months of trading.

Six staff have been taken on with plans to more than double the workforce to 15 in the next three years.

Company chief Craig said: "There has been a huge upsurge in demand throughout the UK particularly for craft soda products, driven by consumers who don't drink alcohol and are seeking brands with provenance, craftsmanship and experimental flavours.

"The problem for many craft soda makers is that contract manufacturers insist on large scale orders.

"We believe we have uncovered a gap in that market by offering small batch bottling opportunities for batches of just 500 litres."

The lab bosses both live in Glasgow but were keen to do business in Port Glasgow.

They were lured by urban regeneration company Riverside Inverclyde (RI).

Hannah said: "Craig and I both live in Glasgow and scouted all over the west of Scotland for suitable premises.

"RI went above and beyond to make it easy for us to choose to bring our business to Inverclyde.

"We have signed a five-year lease and are confident that we will be able to access more space as we expand, so we are delighted to have found the ideal base here at Kelburn Business Park.

"We've also been helped by corporate investment from Scotmid Co-operative as well as public sector support from Scottish Enterprise, Business Gateway and Scottish Edge, who liked our ideas and have made an investment in our business."

The company's Kelburn HQ has a trial kitchen and product development facility and capacity to bottle, label and box on site.

Gerry McCarthy, chairman of RI, said: "Innovative and dynamic young businesses like The Start-Up Drinks Lab are fundamental to the renaissance of Inverclyde and RI looks forward to building a stronger local economy and more jobs for local people."