Dale Farm’s Dromona site celebrates 80 years of being 'a favourite in Northern Ireland homes'

Dairy co-operative Dale Farm, one of Northern Ireland's biggest food companies, has marked the 80th anniversary of its Dromona Cullybackey site, the home of Dromona butter.

Dromona Cullybackey began churning butter in 1943 and has since evolved and diversified to produce a range of butter and spreads for retail, ingredients, and foodservice markets.

In 1955 the site was purchased by the Milk Marketing Board which evolved to become United Dairy Farmers in 1995. Since then, the site has been a part of the Dale Farm family, bringing award winning Dromona butter to homes across Northern Ireland.

Currently some 80 people are employed at the facility, based on the Dunminning Road outside Cullybackey.

The milestone was celebrated with a dinner held at Galgorm attended by both current and former employees, including Uel Martin who is the site’s current longest serving employees at 46 years each.

Dale Farm chair Fred Allen, said: “For 80 years Dromona Cullybackey has been synonymous with excellence in butter production and has grown to become a favourite in Northern Ireland homes.”

Praising staff, Mr Allen added: "Key to that success is the commitment to quality demonstrated by the people who have worked at the site over these past eight decades, and we were delighted to join with employees past and present to celebrate this significant milestone.”