Irish dairy firm Golden Cow, part of the Kerry Group, has announced it will create 23 jobs following a GBP2.5m (US$4.2m) expansion.

The company received a GBP100,000 cash boost from Invest NI to support the move.

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The expansion will see the plant manufacture LowLow Snack Packs and Mattessons Chicken Dippers in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Camillus Fitzpatrick, Golden Cow’s finance manager, said: “The decision by Kerry Group to manufacture the new LowLow Snacks in particular in Portadown is recognition of our longstanding expertise and success in providing cheddar cheese products very cost effectively to leading UK and Irish retailers over many years.

“Invest NI’s Jobs Fund support for the investment and especially to recruit additional staff has been immensely important. We’ve installed a new production facility to manufacture the new snack foods. Both products have been developed to appeal to two fast moving consumer markets in Britain and the Republic of Ireland that the group has identified.”

Brian Dolaghan, Invest NI’s director of business and sector development, said: “This is an important strategic investment by Kerry Group, which has owned Golden Cow since 2001, in the development of this manufacturing operation in Portadown.

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“The diversification into snack foods is also significant in that it widens the plant’s portfolio and positions it to bid for further new product opportunities developing from Kerry Group’s longstanding focus on convenience and snack foods for key markets abroad.”

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