Saputo secures £3.2m investment to expand cheese production

Saputo has received a £3.2 million investment from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to boost production of cheese and ingredients for infant formula.

The LEP’s grant from the UK government’s Getting Building Fund is supporting a multi-million-pound expansion project at the Saputo Dairy UK creamery in Davidstow, Cornwall.

Home to the Cathedral City cheddar brand, the Davidstow facility employs more than 200 people and sources milk locally, supporting around 330 dairy farmers across Cornwall and the south west.

The LEP’s investment in Davidstow will help increase capacity for cheese production and by-products like demineralised whey, as well as reduce the environmental footprint of the creamery.

Last year, Saputo Dairy UK began selling Cathedral City to the Canadian and US markets for the first time.

“The awarding of this grant is welcome news for Saputo Dairy UK, our 200 plus employees in Cornwall, our 330 supplying farmers and all those who support our business in the south west,” said Tom Atherton, president and chief operating officer of Saputo Dairy UK.

“It enables us to strengthen the infrastructure at our Davidstow creamery to support the continued growth of our award-winning cheddar brands, both in the UK and abroad. The launch of Cathedral City in North America is just the first step in our ambitious international expansion programme.”

The LEP successfully bid for £14.3 million of Getting Building Fund investment last year following a government call for projects that could create jobs and support post-pandemic economic recovery.

LEP director Clare Parnell, who chairs the LEP’s rural group and is also a farmer in north Cornwall, added: “The Davidstow creamery is a major local employer whose supply chain extends across Cornwall and the wider region.

“The LEP’s investment, secured from the Getting Building Fund, is having an immediate impact by boosting capacity and improving the efficiency of the plant as the business looks to further growth.”

Formerly called Dairy Crest, Saputo Dairy UK rebranded following its acquisition by Canadian dairy company Saputo in 2019.