Dew Valley Foods To Invest Over Euro 21M In Expansion And R&D

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan T.D. has revealed plans for a €21.8m investment by Dew Valley Foods, located in Thurles, Co. Tipperary with the support of Government through Enterprise Ireland.

The investment will lead to the construction of a new state of the art Research and Development (R&D) centre at the Thurles facility, an expansion of current production capabilities and the development of a new employee skills development programme.

The investment will lead to the creation of 55 new high value jobs at the Thurles plant.

Making the announcement Tánaiste Coughlan said: "I am delighted to announce an investment of €21.8m by Dew Valley Foods.

"The investment, with the support of Government from Enterprise Ireland, is an excellent endorsement of the company's well placed confidence in its ability to compete internationally from its strategic base in Thurles.

"The food sector is a key industry in Ireland and Dew Valley is an excellent example of the type of innovative high-value added food companies that Enterprise Ireland is keen to support.

"This significant investment encompasses all the elements of Enterprise Ireland's strategy for Irish businesses; it will enable international growth through innovation and enhances key employee skills and leadership capabilities.

"Not only will this investment bring 55 high-quality jobs to Thurles, it will also generate significant economic benefits for the local economy."

Jack Blake, Managing Director of Dew Valley added: "Through innovation, Dew Valley has become the leading cooked bacon supplier in Europe.

"With this multi-million euro investment we aim to increase our competitiveness in our modern high-tech facility and establish a new Cooked Bacon Research Centre.

"This research centre will allow Dew Valley to further innovate and develop new higher-value added cooked bacon products.

"In partnership with our customers we aim to enhance our leadership role."

Commenting on the announcement, Derek Breen, Head of the Meat Division at Enterprise Ireland said: "Enterprise Ireland is working closely with Dew Valley to increase competitiveness and export capability.

"This investment in the new R&D centre and the enhanced production capacity will enable the company to implement a new strategy based on developing new higher-value added products and responding quickly and innovatively to changing consumer demands internationally."

Dew Valley Foods is a well-established meat processing company based in Thurles Co. Tipperary, employing 160 people. The company commenced production in 1984 and is one of the largest cooked bacon manufacturers in Europe involved.

The company provides cooked bacon products to the food service and food processing sectors.