Irish Dairy Board opens new cheese manufacturing facility in US

The Irish Dairy Board (IDB), a co-operative enterprise based in Ireland, has opened a new $12m cheese manufacturing facility at its Thiel Cheese & Ingredients (Thiel) operations in Wisconsin, US.

The plant was officially opened by Ireland Agriculture, Food and Marine Minister Simon Coveney.

The centre, which features some of the most advanced dairy processing equipment in the US dairy sector, includes a state-of-the-art innovation centre that will provide functional cheese solutions to its US food ingredients and food services customers.

IDB noted that the new facility will increase its US food ingredients production capacity by 40%.

This opening of the cheese manufacturing facility marks the completion of an $80m expansion programme in IDB’s US food ingredients business.

The programme is part of IDB’s strategy to invest in high-growth, profitable dairy businesses and provides the cooperative with greater scale in the value-added cheese ingredients sector.

According to IDB, the business offers an important route for marketing Irish casein and creates further opportunities for Irish dairy products.

The minister said: "This new facility will further strengthen the positioning of Ireland and Irish agri-business expertise in the US, as well as supporting the economic wellbeing of Irish dairy farmers.

"We are entering an exciting time for the Irish dairy sector as milk quotas are abolished from next April and today’s opening represents the kind of investment that will help the sector realise its true potential."

IDB CEO Kevin Lane said: "Today marks the completion of a very significant investment programme by IDB into the US food ingredients market and is in-line with our growth strategy to invest in high-growth dairy businesses that deliver strong returns to our members.

"The focus of this investment is on innovation as much as production, with our new facility enhancing our ability to create innovative food solutions that meet the evolving needs of our US customer base and their brands."

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Image: IDB has opened a new cheese manufacturing facility in US. Photo: courtesy of Irish Dairy Board.