The dairy cooperative Dale Farm in Northern Ireland is investing in the Dunmanbridge plant.

According to group chief executive Nick Whelan of Dale Farm, “Dale Farm has established 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.”

“We are already exporting to 40 countries, and with this investment we want to build on that momentum and future-proof our operation at Dunmanbridge for decades to come.”

This is one of the largest investments in the agri-food sector in Northern Ireland ever.

With development well underway, it is hoped that the facility will be operational by February of the following year.


The project will extend the site's ability to produce 20,000 tonnes of cheese annually in addition to whey protein concentrate.


When compared to the manufacturing of milk powder, new production methods and advanced energy-efficient technology are anticipated to lower the site's annual carbon footprint by an estimated 4,500 tonnes.

“We have been granted a patent for cheddar produced at the site and are onboarding new technologies and digital transformation,” added Mr Whelan.

“We’re also investing in sustainability and as a result of this expansion our carbon footprint will see a significant reduction, marking another important milestone on our journey towards net zero.”