Pembrokeshire Creamery invests £17m in new milk processing site

The dairy processor will occupy 10.25 acres of the Food Park where it will site the new facility, which will source milk from local family farms and have an annual processing capacity of 70 million litres.

Mark McQuade, Pembrokeshire Creamery managing director, said: “Pembrokeshire Creamery Limited are grateful to the Welsh Government for their support with this investment, which will deliver significant jobs and growth to the local economy.​

Bottled in Wales

“The new site will be the only BRC Certified facility to offer Welsh milk that is also bottled in Wales, and as such, the Creamery will shorten the supply chain in Wales. Pembrokeshire is a fantastic milk field in which to build an authentically Welsh milk supply for Welsh supermarket stores.”​

The food park was established in 2021 following a £2m investment by the Welsh Government and £1m from the European Regional Development Fund, which was awarded to Pembrokeshire County Council for the delivery of the first phase of infrastructure works at the food park.

The new milk processing plant has also received financial support from the European Union through the Rural Development Fund and was described as a key driver within the Welsh Government’s ‘COVID-19: Food and Drink Wales’ recovery plan.

Economy Minister Vaughan Gething said: “Agriculture, food and drink are sectors that make a significant contribution to Pembrokeshire’s local economy, and we are determined to help new and existing businesses in these sectors to grow and thrive. ​

Boost for the regional economy

“We have been working closely with Pembrokeshire County Council to make land available for development at Pembrokeshire Food Park to allow us to realise that ambition. So, I am very pleased we have secured this significant investment, which will create 80 new jobs locally over the next three years. This will be a real boost for the regional economy.”​

Rural affairs minister Lesley Griffiths reiterated the Welsh Government’s support for the food and drink sector and the creation of a long-term, sustainable supply chain for Welsh consumers.

“Pembrokeshire produces fantastic food and drink products, and I look forward to seeing this continue into the future,”​ she concluded.

Meanwhile, Cornish craft chocolate maker Chocolarder has invested in £100k of new equipment thanks to financial support from Truro-based asset finance provider Ignition.