Carbery Group has launched a new brand, Carbery Dairy, with a range of cheese products aimed at the European and Asian markets.

The brand launch follows completion of a production expansion at the company's Ballineen factory which will see annual output increase from 55,000 to 64,000 tonnes per annum.

Production of the new cheeses — mozzarella and grilling cheese — has already begun, destined for food service markets in mainland Europe and in China and Japan.

Chief executive Jason Hawkins said: “Our teams across the business have been working extremely hard on this project and we are really looking forward to bringing our products to new markets and returning value on this investment to our farmer shareholders. This diversification will create new markets and value for our West Cork milk suppliers.”

Chief operating officer John Holland added: “Our extensive market research has shown us that demand in Asia for cheese continues to grow. We believe that our heritage and expertise in dairy enables us to develop products that will excite our existing and new customers.”

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The new facility is geared to production of what’s known in the trade as pasta filata, a category that includes grilling cheese and mozzarella. Carbery is best known here for its Dubliner Cheese and Carbery Cracker brands.

The company claims to produce 25% of all cheese made in Ireland and is owned by four West Cork co-ops, Bandon, Barryroe, Drinagh and Lisavaird.

The new facility will process 19 million litres of milk a week during peak supply, from more than 1,200 farmer suppliers.

The €78m investment was part-funded by a €35m loan from the European Investment Bank, the first direct EIB support for investment in the Irish cooperative sector in 45 years, and the first Irish investment under the EIB’s dedicated streamlined agriculture financing programme.

Photo: Carbery executives Jason Hawkins, TJ Sullivan, Colm Leen, John Holland and Conor O’Donovan. (Pic: Don MacMonagle)