Lakeland Dairies has announced a £24.5 million (€28.6 million) investment programme at its Ballyrashane Creamery near Coleraine, aimed at expanding manufacturing capacity and growing the co-operative's export business. The investment marks a significant development for dairy processing in Northern Ireland and carries direct implications for agri-food supply chains across the island.

According to the Irish News, the programme is backed by £2.5 million (€2.9 million) in support from Invest NI through its Agri-Food Investment Initiative, with the remainder funded by Lakeland Dairies itself.

The Ballyrashane facility, located three miles east of Coleraine, will see upgrades to its liquid milk packing and butter production operations, alongside investment in new product development to serve growing demand in export markets.

The site, which dates to the late 19th century, currently produces butter for a number of supermarket brands and specialist butter for bakery manufacturers across Europe.

Colin Kelly, chief executive of Lakeland Dairies, said: "This significant investment in our Ballyrashane site reflects our commitment to the future and our ambition to grow in both domestic and international markets. The programme will expand capacity in liquid milk packing and butter production, and will support new product development, allowing us to meet growing demand in export markets. The project will also deliver wider environmental benefits, further enhancing the site's energy sustainability performance."

Kieran Donoghue, CEO of Invest NI, said the AFII scheme has enabled several businesses to deliver major efficiency projects and noted that this project stands out for its innovation and productivity, opening up global growth opportunities by developing new high-value products.

Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald, who visited the site, said the investment supports the continued development of the agri-food sector, strengthens export capability, and includes important investment in sustainability.

Lakeland Dairies recently reported a 10% increase in group revenues to €1.93 billion for 2025, reflecting higher milk volumes and a more balanced product mix. The co-operative processed a record 2.14 billion litres of milk last year, supplied by more than 3,000 farms across 17 counties on the island of Ireland.

Formed through the merger of LacPatrick and Lakeland Dairies in 2019, the co-operative is the largest cross-border dairy operation on the island.

Discover the full details of Lakeland Dairies' £24.5m Coleraine investment programme.