18 jobs will be lost to Fivemiletown with news that Dale Farm are not to renew their lease on the Fivemiletown Creamery site. The production of cheese at the site will officially cease in June 2019.
The news will come as a blow to the local economy with staff being offered relocation to Dale Farm’s production facility at Dromona, Cullybackey in County Antrim. The move will also see some of the Fivemiletown creamery cheese lines cease, although Fivemiletown Goats Cheese will continue to be produced.
Dale Farm, in a statement, said that the site was no longer feasible:
“Following careful consideration, maintaining production of Fivemiletown cheese at the Fivemiletown site was deemed no longer feasible. Dale Farm will relocate production of the main lines of our Fivemiletown cheeses to our facility at Dromona Cullybackey. However, the low volume Fivemiletown cheese retail lines will no longer be carried. Dale Farm is keen to ensure the Fivemiletown brand remains active in Northern Ireland and will continue to produce Fivemiletown goat’s cheese.”
In May 2014, Dale Farm bought the Fivemiletown speciality cheese brand from Glanbia Ingredients Ireland and reached agreement with Fivemiletown & Brookeborough Co-operative to take over the production of its cheese at the Fivemiletown site. Dale Farm leased the premises from Fivemiletown & Brookeborough Co-operative and took over employment of its staff.
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