Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Yogurt firm to double staff as it whips up sales abroad
ONE of Northern Ireland’s most famous yogurt companies is to double its workforce by creating 13 jobs as part of a move to grow its international reach.
Clandeboye Estate Yogurt is also investing £2million to build a new factory to allow it to up production at the Bangor business which is based on the estate of the same name.
Made using milk from the farm’s dairy herd, the investment will give the company the capacity to produce as much as 80 tonnes of yogurt a week, four times its current output.
It said it plans to increase its export sales and expand into the GB market.
“As the only yoghurt manufacturer in Northern Ireland, our mission is to grow Clandeboye Yoghurt as sustainably as possible and to maintain the high quality of our natural yoghurt offering,” said Bryan Boggs, General Manager of Clandeboye Estate Yogurt.
“Everything from grazing to production takes place within the Clandeboye Estate, with milk sourced from the Clandeboye herd and local producers – a ‘farm to spoon’ journey.”
Invest NI has offered the company £470,000 of support. “Last year, food and drink companies generated over £5billion for the Northern Ireland economy,” said John Hood, Director of Food and Drink at Invest Northern Ireland.
“The sector has remained resilient throughout Covid and continues to be a major contributor to our economy.”
The new jobs include both production and management roles.