The new 6.5 acre dairy facility in East Kilbride will see milk production capacity more than double and featured a new refrigeration plant and pasteurizing equipment, new filler lines and a new bottling line.
Mick McQueen, chairman of McQueens Dairies, said the expansion will help the business meet increasing customer demand, which has seen significant growth as a result of lockdowns introduced to combat the coronavirus pandemic.
With more people stuck at home, demand for home deliveries has seen the business growth 30% since March 2020.
Doorstep delivery
“Our doorstep milk delivery business was growing significantly before the coronavirus pandemic hit the country but we have witnessed significantly faster growth as people demanded safer and reliable food delivery services,” he explained.
The increased production capacity at the East Kilbride site will allow McQueen Dairies to invest in other parts of the business, such as it distribution depot network and fleet, McQueen added.
“We have recently opened a new depot in Stockton on Tees which is already employing 25 staff delivering to doorsteps in County Durham and we’re looking at other new locations for additional distribution depots across Scotland and the north of England to meet demand, and to recruit more milkmen and milkwomen to work across the whole of our distribution network.”
Operations in Scotland and England
Founded in 1995 by Mick McQueen and his wife Meg, McQueens now operates distribution depots in Scotland and north of England and employs hundreds of staff. The dairy operates distribution depots in Glasgow, East Kilbride, Edinburgh, Kirkcaldy, Galashiels, Mansfield, Huddersfield, Warrington, Preston, Stockton on Tees and Carlisle.
Mick McQueen added: “Customers drive our business and we have many who have been with us since we started. We now have many more and assure everyone that we are committed to giving them the very best service and product in the market.”
Meanwhile, cheesemaker Singletons & Co has secured a deal with Morrisons to supply the supermarket chain with sheep’s milk cheese to its stores nationwide.
