Dale Farm’s farmer members recently came together at the Glenavon Hotel, Cookstown, for the cooperative’s annual general meeting, where they heard updates on business performance, market trends, and the key priorities shaping the year ahead.

The cooperative recorded a strong set of results for the year ending March 2025, with group turnover increasing by £91m to £722.4m and net profit before tax increasing to £31.9m (previous year £29.8m). Dale Farm’s strong results for the year were achieved despite challenging market conditions.

The cooperative paid an average milk price of 43.67 pence per litre in 2024/25, delivering a competitive and sustainable return for its members, whilst undertaking investment to strengthen the cooperative for future generations.

A key milestone celebrated at the AGM was the completion of the £70m expansion of the cheddar cheese processing facility at Dunmanbridge, Co Tyrone. Now fully commissioned, the new plant is performing exceptionally well, and is delivering in process efficiency, product quality, and environmental performance.

Pictured, from left, are Nick Whelan, Stephen Brown, Fred Allen, Caryn Webster and David Rea. Credit: Contributed

placeholder image — Pictured, from left, are Nick Whelan, Stephen Brown, Fred Allen, Caryn Webster and David Rea. Credit: Contributed

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Speaking after the meeting, Nick Whelan, Group Chief Executive, Dale Farm, said: “Our commitment to sustainability goes hand in hand with our commitment to our farmers. As a farmer-owned cooperative, our purpose is to create a profitable, progressive, and environmentally responsible business that delivers for our members and the wider agri-food sector. “The completion of our Dunmanbridge investment represents a significant milestone, enhancing processing efficiency and reducing our carbon footprint, while ensuring we remain competitive in an evolving global market. “This year’s AGM brought together a record number of members, reflecting the strength of engagement across our cooperative.

"This year marks 30 years since the establishment of our cooperative, and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved together as the business has grown over the past three decades. We remain focused on delivering sustainable growth, aligned with our Future Strong Sustainability Framework, that benefits our 1,300 farmer owners and the communities in which we operate.”

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