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Northern Ireland-based dairy cooperative Dale Farm is investing £70 million in its cheddar processing facility at Dunmanbridge, County Tyrone. The expanded operation is set to boost Dale Farms’ cheddar production by 20,000 tonnes annually. It will also increase its whey protein concentrate capacity. The investment will see the integration of advanced energy efficient technologies which, together with new production processes, are set to reduce the site’s carbon footprint by an estimated 4,500 tonnes per year when compared against milk powder production. Marking one of the largest ever single investments by a Northern Ireland agri-food company, the plans will see Dale Farm integrate new technologies and equipment at the site, which will boost production while ‘significantly’ improving the company’s sustainability credentials. As well as improving and replacing existing services and utilities, the expansion will include a new high-speed automated cheese slicing line, an increased warehouse footprint and investment in new patented products and processes. The investment comes in response to continued customer growth across the UK, Europe and beyond, with the site already exporting cheddar to 40 countries worldwide. Nick Whelan, group CEO at Dale Farm, said: “Dale Farm has built a strong reputation as a leader in cheddar production, and thanks to our reputation for quality, sustainability and consistency, we are seeing strong customer growth in the category. Key to our success is the dedication and ingenuity demonstrated on a daily basis by our team right across the business...With this investment we want to build momentum and future-proof our operation at Dunmanbridge for decades to come.” He continued: “We want to continue to lead the sector in Northern Ireland and beyond and cement our region as a global leader in quality, sustainability and innovation. We have been granted a patent for cheddar produced at the site and are onboarding new technologies and digital transformation.” Whelan concluded: “This investment will be transformative not just for Dale Farm, but for the Northern Ireland rural economy. We have big plans for the future and are looking forward to the next step of this journey.” Work at the site is underway and is on track to be complete in February next year.