Medina Dairy, a supplier of fresh milk, dairy and bakery products to the retail, convenience, wholesale and foodservice sectors has started a major £3.5 million development programme to further upgrade its Watson’s Dairy in Hampshire, UK. 

The investment will deliver greater operational flexibility & efficiencies and is in line with Medina’s strategic focus to enhance further its ability to service the fresh milk & cream requirements of the major multiple retailers.

It will mean that the milk of some 96 local dairy farmers will now be processed at the dairy, securing the jobs of Watson’s existing 95 employees and resulting in the creation over the next 6 months of up to 25 additional new roles. 

Watson’s Dairy, which is already a Grade A British Retail Consortium accredited fresh milk & cream production facility, will benefit from the installation of a state-of-the-art, high speed, filling line, automatic trolley packing and additional milk & cream silos. 

The investment, which will be completed by late Spring 2017, will expand Medina’s operational capability in the South East of England and will complement its recent winning of significant new fresh milk supply contracts with major retailers including Sainsbury’s and Iceland Foods. 

At the same time, Medina will continue to invest in the development of its ‘Watsons’ branded milk which is already generating sales of in the region of £65 million, with a growing customer base in the convenience retail and foodservice sectors of the market.

Commenting on the announcement, Mike Sheldon, Medina Dairy’s Managing Director, said: “This major investment at Watson’s will further enhance our ability to be a credible and competitive supplier of fresh milk & cream to major retailers. 

It will enable us to deliver greater operational flexibility & efficiencies, enhanced product segregation capabilities, and improved levels of customer service. Medina has already made strong progress winning major fresh milk supply contracts with the likes  of Iceland Foods and Sainsbury’s, and this latest investment I believe will enhance our offer to both existing and new customers.”