Mozzarella factory to be built in Ireland
Plans to build a €130m (£115m) mozzarella factory in Ireland have been announced just days after a construction project for Norwegian cheese was launched.
Glanbia Cheese – a joint venture between Glanbia and Leprino Foods will build mozzarella cheese manufacturing facility in Portlaoise in County Laois.
A site for the new factory has been identified at the recently established Togher National Industrial Estate in Portlaoise.
Plans had been announced last week for a factory to make Norway’s Jarlsberg cheese (link opens in new tab).
The new mozzarella facility will have a production capacity of 45,000t a year. Approximately 78 full time jobs will be created at the facility. It is expected that a further 250 jobs will be created during the construction phase.
The project will now move to its planning phase. If planning permission is granted, construction will begin later this year and the new facility would be expected to begin production in 2020.
Minister for justice and equality Charlie Flanagan said: “This is a great day for Glanbia Cheese, Portlaoise and the Midlands region. The economic growth of our regions through the creation of sustainable jobs is a priority for Government, and I am delighted to see this level of investment and such a significant number of jobs being created here today – most certainly a welcome boost to the economy of Portlaoise.”
Glanbia and Leprino Foods already have an existing joint venture partnership in Glanbia Cheese, which was established in 2000 and has manufacturing operations in Llangefni in Wales and in Magheralin, Northern Ireland.
