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Dairy producer Meadow Foods has announced a £4,000,000 ($5,000,000) investment in a plant-based manufacturing facility in Chester, England.
The facility, which started construction in January, is expected to start food production towards the end of the year.
On its website, Meadow Foods says its initial plant-based product range will include dairy-free milks, creams, yogurts, custard, as well as sour creams, soft cheese and a mousse base.
‘Developing our capabilities’
According to FoodBev, CEO of Meadow Foods Mark Chantler said: “We’re excited to be developing our capabilities and capacity to manufacture a range of plant-based products that extend the strength and depth of our product portfolio.
Chantler added that dairy will still remain ‘core’ to the business, stating: “We will continue to explore strategic invesyments, paertnerships and acquisitions that extend the range of quality products we [can] offer our customers, allowing us to offer complemntary products alongside our dairy range.”
Plant-based milk sales
Earlier this year it was revealed that vegan milk grew five percent in dollar sales in 2019 – as cow’s milk sales were flat, according to data from the Good Food Institute and the Plant Based Foods Association.
Plant milk is now the largest category in the plant-based sector, which as a whole, is now worth almost $5 billion. According to the data, the category has now surpassed $2 billion and accounts for 40 percent of the total plant-based food market, with 41 percent of U.S. households buying dairy milk alternatives.
