Taw Valley Creamery investment to bring 100 jobs to Devon

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Around 100 jobs are set to be created at a Devon creamery following a multimillion-pound investment to expand production at the site.

Dairy giant Arla has announced it is investing more than £179m in the UK as part of its plans to become a "major UK exporter of mozzarella."

The co-operative is currently the third-biggest supplier of mozzarella in the world.

Taw Valley Creamery, in North Devon, is to be updated with state-of-the-art technology, enabling the site to produce mozzarella within the next three years, as part of the plans.

Peter Giortz-Carlsen, COO of Arla Foods Europe, said the investment will enable the company "to stay among the leaders within mozzarella."

"Our mozzarella business has seen double-digit growth over the past five years and we have strong relationships with key customers, particularly in global food service, and it's from that very solid starting point we are announcing the investment today," he said.

Maria Chacon-Cubo, from Taw Valley Creamery, said the expansion will double the workforce bringing dozens of jobs to Devon.

"We already have a high-skilled and motivated workforce, so being able to push that and grow those teams is going to be incredible," she said.

She added: "It is also allowing us to use more of the milk pool in this area. We are in the heart of one of the biggest producers of milk, and being able to use it locally really benefits farmers."

Arla is now seeking planning permission to enable the business to make changes to the creamery.

If the plans are approved, mozzarella will be produced at the factory by 2027.