The strategic investment is expected to create at least 200 new jobs initially, with potential for further expansion as the site scales up operations. In a move designed to support local economic development, Freshways has committed to focusing its recruitment efforts on local young people, aligning with the Mayor’s Youth Employment Plan. The available positions will span crucial areas of the dairy value chain, including engineering, quality assurance, food safety, logistics, and support services, with recruitment set to begin shortly at the Park Rose Industrial Estate location.

Notably, the project highlights the increasing role of global partnerships in modern dairy manufacturing. Freshways imported specialist milk processing machinery from IDMC, an engineering firm based in Gujarat, India. This represents one of the first major deals completed since the UK and Indian governments signed a free trade agreement in July. IDMC manufactured over 200 pieces of specialist equipment, including five massive stainless steel silos capable of holding 625,000 litres of fresh British milk, with an Indian engineering team currently overseeing installation and training.

This modernized capacity is crucial for the UK dairy market. Freshways has reported a substantial increase in orders from its food service and retail customers this year, necessitating the need for upgraded processing capacity to meet robust demand. The new factory will boost Freshways’ overall processing capacity by 25%, which will enable the company to increase its sourcing of fresh milk from hundreds of loyal British dairy farms, many of which are located across the Midlands region.