The new facility, at the Creameries’ site in Chwilog, near Pwllheli, will enable the farmer co-operative to increase capacity from 9,500 tonnes to 12,000 tonnes of cheese per annum.
South Caernarfon’s new unit will allow greater product flexibility, enabling the company to produce different types of cheese to bespoke customer specifications and enable further product innovation for its customers and for the Creameries’ own Dragon brand.
Alan Wyn Jones, managing director at South Caernarfon Creameries, said, “Although it’s currently a very challenging period for both milk producers and processors, it is vital that we continue to invest for the future.”
He said that the objective is to get the new factory to its full processing capacity as quickly as possible, adding that during the past year, the company has recruited some new Welsh member farmers in preparation for the new unit.
The company says that if it achieves its growth objectives, a second investment phase is planned that will further increase cheese production to 17,000 tonnes per annum.