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Arla supports mozzarella exports with £179m creamery investment
The investment in technology and other major upgrades at the Taw Valley site will support the manufacturer’s plans to export mozzarella within the next three years. The plans will see the creation of 100 jobs.
Commenting on the announcement, managing director Bas Padberg said: “We want to become a major player within the global mozzarella market, but to do this we need to invest in state-of-the-art technology. This is why we will be making major upgrades and changes to Taw Valley Creamery in Devon, which will allow us to sell our mozzarella globally.”
Double-digit growth
Arla’s mozzarella business has seen double-digit growth over the last five years. In addition to benefiting its farmer owners, one of the cooperative’s biggest ever investments in the UK will create more than 100 skilled jobs for the Devon region.
“Exporting our product helps to increase the value of farmers’ milk, which will therefore benefit our farmer owners, here in the UK,” Padberg continued.
“As one of the biggest food companies in the UK, it is only natural that we look for further opportunities to grow so we can continue to return a fair price back to our farmer owners.”
Two-year upgrade plan
Work to upgrade the Taw Valley creamery will take place over the next two years, building on existing contracts with its pizza customers.
Arla Foods UK board director, and Arla farmer, Arthur Fearnall, added: “We are incredibly proud to see the UK business receive this significant investment. We’re excited to see how the plans at Taw Valley Creamery progress over the coming years, as we continue to work together to ensure all Arla farmer owners receive the best price for their milk.”
News of Arla’s creamery investment comes as parent company Arla Foods Ingredients starts construction on an electric heat pump facility at its primary processing plant in Denmark.
The €32m (£27.4m) project is Arla’s largest single investment in net-zero initiatives to date and is scheduled to go live in 2025.
