Taoiseach unveils €4m expansion at Wexford’s Killowen Farm
Workforce to almost double with the addition of 25 new jobs
Print10 May 2022
Award-winning Wexford-based yogurt producer Killowen Farm has invested €4 million to expand its food business in a move that will create 25 new jobs.
The expansion, which was officially unveiled by the Taoiseach Micheál Martin, will enable the business to grow its cream cheese production through the development of a new state-of-the-art production line at Courtnacuddy, Co. Wexford.
Killowen Farm, which is owned by the Dunne family, has grown from a team of 47 and will now employ a workforce of 72 people. The €4 million investment marks the largest single expansion in the company’s history and has been part-funded by grant support received from Enterprise Ireland.
The Dunne Family have been producing yogurt under the Killowen Farm brand since 2004 and in such time have built it into an internationally recognised business, exporting quality homegrown Irish yogurt to a range of international markets, including Dubai, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore.
“Killowen Farm is a real Irish success story, and I am delighted to be here in Courtnacuddy to unveil its new cream cheese production facility,” said Taoiseach Micheál Martin. “Ireland produces some of the world’s best dairy produce, and Killowen is a fantastic example of a family farm that has moved into food production and stayed within the local community.”
Killowen Farm chief executive Nicholas Dunne described the move as “a very significant investment” for Killowen Farm, which would allow it to create 25 more jobs in the local economy and grow the business by adding higher value to existing local milk supplies.
“I’d like to thank the Taoiseach for visiting Killowen to officially unveil our new cream cheese production facility, and also thank Enterprise Ireland for supporting this major expansion plan for our business,” Dunne said. “We have worked closely with Enterprise Ireland, and other State agencies such as Bord Bia and Teagasc for many years, and we really value our long-term relationships with them.”
“This expansion would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of the entire team at Killowen Farm,” he added, “particularly over the past two challenging years, and I want to acknowledge their part in making this business a success. I’d also like to thank our customers for their support, collaboration, and encouragement.”
Killowen Farm makes its yogurt using only milk and live cultures and does not add any preservatives or additives to its product range. The milk is sourced from the farm’s own herd of 260 dairy cows. As far as possible, the Wexford-based producer uses locally grown fruit in its flavoured yogurt range.
The company sells yogurts under the Killowen Farm brand to major supermarkets and specialist retailers and is also a supplier to Aldi Ireland, Dunnes Stores’ Simply Better range, SuperValu’s Signature Taste range, and Tesco’s Finest range.
The new cream cheese production line enables Killowen to produce cream cheese for Ornua’s ‘Frisch & Cremig’ product which is sold under the Kerrygold brand in Germany.
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