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Dale Farm is to create 60 news jobs in Co Tyrone at its new cheese retail packing facility.
The farmer owned co-op has opened the cheese processing and packing plant at its Dunmanbridge facility near Cookstown.
Opening the new plant, Economy Minister Simon Hamilton said “Supported by Invest Northern Ireland, the new packing facility will enable the company to produce a wider range of packed consumer cheese. Ultimately this investment will enhance the company’s competitiveness in global markets enabling it to compete for national and international contracts.
Invest Northern Ireland has provided £548,840 of support towards the jobs and new cheese packing facility.
Growth in the convenience market
“The dairy industry forms an integral part of Northern Ireland’s food and drink processing sector and continues to make an important contribution to the regional economy," the Minister added.
Dale Farm Group chief executive David Dobbin commented: “This new cheese processing and packing facility will help us continue to deliver strong growth in our cheddar sales in both domestic and export markets, especially in the faster growing convenience segment of the market. Over the last two years we have more than doubled our sales in consumer cheese products.
"It is vital to the farmers that own our c-op can add value to their milk and this latest £7million investment by Dale Farm will help sustain our local dairy farmers and employment at this plant as well as support the continued growth in our business.”
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