Dairygold Food Ingredients, Ireland`s second largest milk producer and supplier of top quality cheeses and dairy ingredients, is actively looking to increase its market share in the retail and foodservice channels by bringing a new cheese brand to market. The Imokilly Cheese Company is the first consumer brand to be launched by the Irish Co-operative as the UK branded cheese market continues to grow. It’s also destined for export to mainland Europe as well as being launched in the domestic Irish market.
The range will consist of 12 premium speciality cheeses, all with exceptional flavour characteristics and manufactured from the finest natural ingredients, using generations of cheesemaking craft and expertise. It is targeted to boost Dairygold Food Ingredients’ speciality cheese sales by 30% within three years. The Imokilly Cheese Company made its first appearance at this year’s Nantwich International Cheese Show on the 27th and 28th July, when customers got their first taste of heritage cheese at its best.
Svitlana Binns, Group Marketing Manager said: “Dairygold is well known as a major dairy ingredients supplier, but our market within consumer foods is less well established. In order to position ourselves better, we have created a specific brand which aligns with our heritage in cheese making.
“This is what The Imokilly Cheese Company offers; a quality product with authentic flavour, history and provenance, offering the consumer the very best cheese experience.” Boasting a long tradition of artisanal cheese production, the current cheese making facility in the village of Mogeely stretches back to the 1930’s when local dairy farmers first came together to build a cheese factory.
Its unique history has been combined with advanced technical know how and has been formally recognised by the awarding of Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status on one of the new brand’s products, Imokilly Regato. Svitlana adds: “To successfully launch into the retail market in the UK and Europe will be a great achievement for Dairygold and I’m confident the concept will be well received. Our plans are to invest in brand-building activity for The Imokilly Cheese Company and add value to the speciality cheese category.”
With different varieties available in different geographical markets depending on the local tastes and consumer demand, Dairygold Food Ingredients also has an active NPD agenda to meet future taste and flavour preferences.
Dairygold Food Ingredients is Ireland’s second largest milk producer, processing c. 850 million litres annually into top quality cheeses and dairy ingredients. Its UK operations across two sites are market leaders, specifically focused on supplying cheese ingredients into UK Food Manufacturers and Foodservice Operators.
The 12 strong range is available in the following variants Imokilly Ballycashel; Imokilly Black Abbey; Imokilly Calow; Imokilly Cheddar; Imokilly Gran Alto; Imokilly Kaese; Imokilly Monterey Jack; Imokilly Quseo Tierno; and Imokilly Regato.
Today’s modern facility (Mogeely plant) is, of course, unrecognisable from the original plant dating back to 1930 and now produces approx 10,000mt of premium speciality cheese, with three different production technologies and multiple formatting options providing optimum flexibility. As always, strict adherence to the highest quality standards is the norm and the plant is BRC approved (Grade A) and ISO 9000:2000 certified.
Dairygold Food Ingredients and the Imokilly Cheese Company
Tel: 0870 766 9563
e-mail sales@imokillycheesecompany.com
Web: www.imokillycheesecompany.com
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