New £17m milk processing facility to open at Pembrokeshire Food Park

A Pembrokeshire-based company is all set to develop a new milk-processing facility in the county, following the completion of the land sale by the Welsh government and Pembrokeshire County Council.

Pembrokeshire Creamery Ltd. (PCL) has acquired a development plot at Pembrokeshire Food Park, bringing with it £17 million investment and the creation of 80 new jobs over the next three years.

The Food Park in Withybush was established in 2021, with a £2 million investment by the Welsh government and £1 million from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Welsh government.

The new milk processing plant has also received financial support from the European Union through the Rural Development Fund.

“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,” Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething said.

“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.”

Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths added: “Today’s news will see retailers supplied with milk from local farms, bottled in Withybush, creating a long-term and sustainable supply chain for Welsh consumers. Pembrokeshire produces fantastic food and drink products, and I look forward to seeing this continue into the future.”

The company will occupy 10.25 acres of the Food Park following its investment in the new milk processing facility, which will source milk from local family farms and have an annual processing capacity of 70 million litres.

“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,” Mark McQuade, managing director of the company, said.

“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 new milk processing facility is a key development in the local economy, with the creation of employment and a significant boost for the local dairy supply chain. The enhancement of processing capacity by PCL is expected to provide a stronger base to grow the economy in west Wales.

Cllr Paul Miller, deputy leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, warmly welcomed the agreement, hailing it as excellent news for the county’s dairy industry.

“As a local authority, we are delighted to welcome the £17million investment by Pembrokeshire Creamery Ltd,” he said. “This is a fantastic opportunity for local dairy farmers, and we are very proud to have supported the successful development of the venture.

“It’s also excellent news for the local jobs market, with 80 new jobs being created at Pembrokeshire Food Park.

Cllr Miller added: “We have been very pleased to work closely with the Welsh government on this agreement. Our county is well known for its high-quality produce and our work with our Welsh government colleagues on the development of the Food Park is a tangible and significant step towards realising our long-standing aim of retaining more of the added value from local food production.”