First Milk Invests £16.8 Million to Upgrade Lake District Creamery

First Milk, a farmer-owned co-operative, has committed £16.8 million to upgrade its Lake District Creamery in Aspatria, Cumbria. This represents the largest-ever single capital investment by the company. According to Stefan Mason, the cheese business unit director at First Milk, the investment underscores their long-term commitment to the creamery, their farmer members, and the broader Cumbrian economy.

The investment will be utilized to replace the current cheese vats with larger ones, thereby increasing the creamery's production capacity by 20%. The project is scheduled to be completed over two financial years. This development is part of a series of enhancements at the site, with a total of £30 million invested in recent years.

Lake District Creamery is an integral part of the regional dairy supply chain, processing milk from First Milk's farmer members and employing local staff. The upgrade aims to boost efficiency in producing high-quality cheddar cheese and dairy ingredients while enhancing the site's operational resilience and supporting long-term growth.

In addition to this investment, Lake District Creamery has benefited from First Milk's strategic whey protein partnership with Arla Foods Ingredients. This partnership is designed to produce high-protein dairy products to meet the rising global demand.

Overall, the investment in the Aspatria site is a component of First Milk’s broader strategy to establish a resilient and regenerative dairy business.