Welsh dairy startup Pembrokeshire Creamery Ltd. (PCL) has secured land to build a milk-processing plant in Wales as part of a GBP17m (USD20.4m) investment.
The facility in Pembrokeshire will reportedly have an annual processing capacity of 70m litres and PCL claim it will create 80 jobs over the next three years.
PLC managing director Mark McQuade, former operations director at Scotland-based McQueens Dairies, said the facility would “shorten the supply chain in Wales”. It will be the only BRC [British Retail Consortium]-certified facility producing domestically bottled Welsh milk.
PCL also received GBP5m for the build in 2021 from a food business investment scheme through the Welsh government.
The plant will be built in 10.25 acres of land in Pembrokeshire Food Park, a series of plots for agricultural development leased from the local council. The food park was established in 2021 after a GBP2m investment from the Welsh Government and an additional GBP1m from the European Regional Development Fund.
The plan to acquire this plot of land has been in the works since 2021, when the company was founded, but faced delays due to unforeseen cost increases. The company is now aiming for the processing facility to be operational by the end of 2023.
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By GlobalDataA long-term ground lease for the development plot was sold to PCL for GBP718,000.
McQuade said: “Pembrokeshire Creamery Limited is grateful to the Welsh Government for their support with this investment, which will deliver significant jobs and growth to the local economy.
“The new site will be the only BRC [British Retail Consortium] certified facility to offer Welsh milk that is also bottled in Wales, and as such, the Creamery will shorten the supply chain in Wales.”
Welsh economy minister Vaughan Gething said: “The Welsh Government is doing all we can to help create quality jobs for people within their own communities. 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.
“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.”
