Dairy co-operatives Dale Farm and Aurivo have announced a new strategic covering the whole of the island of Ireland.
Belfast-headquartered Dale Farm, owned by 1,300 dairy farmers across Northern Ireland, England and Scotland, and Sligo-based Aurivo, which works with 750 farms in the Republic and Northern Ireland, had been considering a merger but backed away from this after feedback from farmers, including at letter from Aurivo members to the Irish Farmers’ Journal, highlighted concerns over loss of regional control and potential job losses.
Instead they have opted for a cross-island partnership to unlock scale and enhance value for farmers, looking at projects such byproduct utilisation and added value protein.
The co-ops are forming a steering group to guide the partnership, with work ready to start on initial projects.
“We have built a strong and trusted relationship with Aurivo over the past five years,” said Dale Farm CEO Nick Whelan, “and today’s announcement marks another important step for both co-operatives, and for the wider dairy sector on the island of Ireland.
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“Our industry already has a worldwide reputation for quality, sustainability and innovation. In an increasingly competitive global market, farmer-owned co-operatives on this island must continue to work together to unlock scale and support long-term growth.
“This partnership marks a historic moment for the industry and strengthens our ability to deliver value for our members and the sector as a whole.”
Aurivo CEO Donal Tierney added: “Aurivo and Dale Farm share the same ethos as farmer-owned, community-focused co-operatives.
”Through our collaboration in recent years, we have identified key areas where we can work together to benefit our farmers, shareholders and the wider dairy industry.
“This partnership sees two commercially strong dairy businesses work together to enhance processing efficiency, improve market returns and deliver long-term value. We’re excited for the future and ready to get started.”
