Muller's incentives for new Shropshire factory suppliers
Dairy giant Müller will offer incentives to new suppliers to increase the flow of milk into its plants ahead of the opening of a huge new butter production site in Shropshire.
Müller is preparing to build a £17 million butter factory at its Market Drayton dairy, which will see 90,000 tonnes of cream used each year to create up to 45,000 tonnes of butter. Production could start in the autumn.
Now the company is looking to draw in farmers to help meet the demand.
It will pay an extra penny per litre to new producers, and an additional 0.5 pence per litre for existing partners who up their output by two per cent across the whole year – on average an extra £7,000 a year.
That figure applies to the 381 of the company's 1,094 producers which are not aligned to major customers with their own pricing agreements.
In a statement, the firm said: "Müller Wiseman is looking to substantially increase the number of dairy farmers who supply the company directly and the company has pinpointed milk fields in the West Country, South Wales, the Midlands, North Wales, Lancashire and Western Scotland."
Recruitment meetings will start next month. Environment Secretary and North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson welcomed the announcement when the investment was revealed. He said:
"It is a brilliant example of adding value to milk and getting more out of one product."
NFU dairy adviser Jeremy Lowe said: "It is vital the price is right as the business looks to secure additional milk supplies."
To attend the recruitment event, farmers should e-mail farmservices@muller-wiseman.co.uk or call (01630) 650200.
