Arla Foods is beginning work on a £179 million new plant in Devon that will begin producing mozzarella from as early as 2027.

Last year, Arla Foods, the UK’s largest dairy cooperative, announced plans for the £179 million investment, part of which will be used at the Taw Valley Creamery, which will be updated to include new technology to enable the business to produce and export mozzarella.

The company says that the investment will create more than 100 additional skilled jobs in the area, and that it is looking to recruit for a variety of roles, including apprentices.

Apprenticeship scheme

Fran Ball, VP of production in the UK, said: “We’re incredibly proud to see work has begun on our state-of the-art mozzarella plant in the UK. As part of the launch of our mozzarella line, we are exploring how we can use this as an opportunity to recruit more people into the industry. In particular we are looking at trialling an apprenticeship scheme, which means we will be able to train apprentices over the next two years – with a view to offering them a full-time position at Taw Valley – for when our mozzarella production begins. This is a really exciting time for Arla, and for all our colleagues at Taw Valley – as we continue to showcase Arla leading British dairy production.”

In its recent 2024 annual results, Arla Foods confirmed that it made record investments globally in 2024 of €1 billion. The company has also recently announced a proposal to invest £90 million in its Lockerbie site.

“The investment into our Taw Valley site showcases our commitment to driving change in the UK”

Bas Padberg, managing director of Arla Foods UK, added: “The investment into our Taw Valley site showcases our commitment to driving change in the UK, and supporting the future of British dairy. We are already one of the leading players in global mozzarella market, providing quality cheese to customers worldwide, but this investment allows us to continue to support our farmer owners by returning the best price for their milk.”