'Our people are at the heart of everything we do': Northern Ireland dairy co-operative launches major recruitment drive to fuel next phase of growth
Dale Farm is expanding its commercial operations and recruiting across key business areas following five years of strong growth and major investment in its cheddar production capability
Dale Farm, one of the UK and Ireland’s largest and fastest growing farmer-owned dairy cooperatives, has announced a major expansion of its commercial operations, including a significant recruitment drive, as it prepares for the next phase of its long-term growth strategy.
A dairy success story for over 60 years, Dale Farm is proud to be a cooperative, owned by 1,300 dairy farmers across Northern Ireland, England and Scotland.
The move follows five consecutive years of strong commercial performance, during which the co‑op has strengthened its market presence and completed a £70 million investment in its cheddar processing facility.
Dale Farm now commercialises close to 80,000 tonnes of cheddar annually and supplies customers across retail, foodservice and B2B channels in over 40 countries.
The co-operative’s recent success has been supported by a clear commercial focus and strong performance across its commercial, marketing, innovation and commercial finance teams. With demand continuing to grow and new opportunities emerging across domestic and international markets, Dale Farm is now recruiting for roles across Retail, B2B, market insight, innovation and commercial finance.
Group commercial director, Mark Boyle, said the recruitment drive is central to the co‑op’s long‑term strategy.
“Over the past five years, our commercial teams have driven strong growth across our key categories,” he said.
“We’ve grown our cheddar business by 20% in the past year, expanded across the UK, Ireland and Europe, and strengthened our global B2B partnerships. Now, we’re investing in new talent to build on that momentum.
“Consumer behaviour is evolving rapidly, and global dairy markets continue to change. Strengthening our market insight and innovation teams will ensure we stay ahead of trends and continue to bring compelling new products and processes to market. Expanding our commercial finance capability will help us prioritise effectively and optimise performance as we grow.
“Our people are at the heart of everything we do, and we are committed to further building our high‑performance culture where colleagues can do their best work and shape the future of our co‑op.”
To find out more about the opportunities in Dale Farm’s expanded commercial team, head to https://www.dalefarm.com/careers