Farmer-owned cooperative, First Milk, has opened its £20 million investment at its Lake District Creamery in Aspatria.
In a ceremony to mark the opening of the investment, Lord Lieutenant of Cumbria, Claire Hensman, unveiled a plaque to commemorate the multimillion pound investment that has seen capacity at the site increase by 40% over the last four years.
The capital investment at the Lake District Creamery is part of a wider programme across the First Milk business, as the company has said it is focusing on increasing capacity, productivity and building operational resilience.
Speaking about the investment Shelagh Hancock, chief executive at First Milk, said: “Cumbria is a county with a strong dairy heritage, and we are proud to have so many cooperative members in this area.
“That’s why our investment at Lake District Creamery is so important – it sits in the heart of our Cumbrian milk field.
“This £20 million investment saw us install five new high-capacity cheese blockformers, capable of packing cheese at a rate of 7t/hr.
“In addition, we’ve upgraded milk intake and milk storage, installed two new milk pasteurisers and two new whey pasteurisers and an end of line robotised stacking and palletisation system, alongside a 120t automated cooling store.
“Altogether, this transforms the site, allowing us to process one million litres of milk a day, and ensuring that we can continue to play our part in meeting the growing global demand for dairy, securing the future for our members.”
