Lakeland Dairies’ facility in Bailieborough, County Cavan, stands as Europe’s largest milk drying plant, a milestone in scale and innovation for the cooperative dairy sector. Processing one billion litres of milk annually, it represents a seamless blend of modern engineering, sustainability, and cooperative integration.
Drawing milk equally from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, Lakeland ensures a steady year-round supply and processing balance. Recent upgrades worth €14.4 million expanded its milk intake system with five new silos of 330,000 litres each, raising capacity to 5.9 million litres per day. The facility now handles 140 tankers daily, each unloaded in just 16 minutes, demonstrating operational excellence and logistics efficiency.
Producing 135,000 tonnes of milk powder and 55,000 tonnes of butter annually, the plant supplies over 100 export destinations, reinforcing Ireland’s reputation for high-quality dairy products. Advanced automation ensures consistency, while energy recovery systems cut emissions and support sustainable processing.
Beyond technology, Lakeland’s cooperative model ensures profits benefit its 36,000 farmer-members, strengthening rural economies and fostering long-term growth.
For emerging dairy nations, the Lakeland example highlights how scale, smart infrastructure, and sustainability can align to achieve global competitiveness. It is more than a production hub; it is a model for modern dairy resilience and cooperative success.
