Dale Farm has confirmed that it has reached agreement to buy the Fivemiletown cheese brands from Glanbia Ingredients Ireland and reached agreement with Fivemiletown Coop that it will take over the production of speciality local cheese at the Fivemiletown Creamery site securing around 20 jobs.
Commenting on the deal, David Dobbin Dale Farm’s Group Chief Executive said:
“We are delighted that we will have been able to ensure that the Fivemiletown range of award winning cheeses will continue to be produced locally. Fivemiletown Creamery has a long established tradition of making excellent local speciality cheeses and we intend to maintain production and invest in developing the brand and its local, national and international customers base. ”
Guy Simpson of the Fivemiletown Creamery Cooperative, said
“This deal will help maintain local jobs in Fivemiletown and the world renowned Fivemiletown cheese brand. While cheddar cheese activity willmstill cease in a number of months we are extremely pleased that
speciality cheese making activity will be now continuing under Dale Farm at our Creamery, this is great news for our local community”
David Dobbin confirmed to Agriland that Dale Farm has no intention of moving the new speciality cheese business from Fivemiletown to its cheddar plant at Dunmanbridge.
“Dunmanbridge is working at full capacity,” he stressed.
“The deal that we have arrived at with Glanbia will ensure that the cheese brands that are so synonymous with Fivemiletown will be retained in that area.
“The milk for the cheese will be supplied by Dale Farm suppliers in Co Fermanagh. It also helps that we have a joint milk procurement arrangement with Glanbia in the area.”
David Dobbin concluded:
“This is a good news story for West Tyrone and Co Fermanagh.”