Arla Foods UK to officially open ‘world’s largest’ fresh milk plant

Arla Foods UK will today officially open its £150m ($240m, €180m) fresh milk plant in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire - a facility it claims to be “the world’s largest and most technologically advanced.”

British Secretary of State for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Owen Paterson, will be on hand today to cut the ribbon.

The dairy, which Arla intends as a platform to expand its fresh milk business, has the capacity to process up to 240,000 litres of milk per hour.

Once fully operational, the plant will boast the ability to process and pack 1bn litres per year.

Construction began in February 2012 following the purchase of a 70-acre site in Aylesbury. Just over a year later, with the new facility nearing completion, Arla announced plans to close its fresh milk plant in Ashby-de-la-Zouch. 

The first bottles of fresh milk began rolling off filling lines at Aylesbury in November 2013 despite "finishing touches" still being made to the plant.