Müller UK & Ireland, which is headquartered in Market Drayton and has plants in Telford and Minsterley, says it plans to invest an extra £45 million into its milk production site in Skelmersdale in Lancashire, which it says will become one of the “biggest and most flexible milk balancing facilities” in the UK.
The company bought Yew Tree Dairy in June last year, with the deal approved by the Competition and Markets Authority in October.
The Skelmersdale plant specialises in powdered milk, with Müller saying it intended to expand the site’s milk drying operations and expand its export business for milk powders when it bought the site for an undisclosed sum in 2024.
“At the time of the acquisition, we said we wanted to go even further and invest significantly in this location,” said Rob Hutchison, CEO of Müller Milk & Ingredients.
“We are enhancing our liquid milk production capacity, capability and quality, and creating a flagship facility for milk drying – one of the biggest and most flexible milk balancing sites in the UK.
“With significant investment in the Skelmersdale site, its people and supplying farms, we are creating exciting new opportunities for the whole supply chain, which in turns helps us on our journey to build a better future for British dairy sector.”
The firm said its £45m investment will expand the site’s powdered milk production capacity by 30 per cent, creating a “flagship facility” for milk drying.
Around 40 new jobs will be created by the expansion.
Daniel Zeichner, Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs, said: “Britain is a great place for dairy farming and has an excellent reputation for quality, welfare standards and sustainability. We are proud that global brands such as Müller see the UK as a great place to produce quality food and drinks.
“With greater capacity new growth opportunities will be opened for the site’s supplying farmers along with new job opportunities for the local community. This is a key example of the government’s Plan For Change in action, unlocking investment for businesses in the UK resulting in growth that’s securing real opportunities for people in our country”.
