€3.6m upgrade for Cadbury milk facility in Kerry

A €3.6m investment has been announced for a Co Kerry plant that processes 80m litres of fresh Munster milk annually.

Mondelez International says the investment, at its Cadbury chocolate crumb manufacturing plant, in Rathmore, near the Cork-Kerry border, will be completed by August, 2015, subject to planning permission.

Work on installation of a new milk evaporator and new buildings is scheduled to commence next month. The investment will enable improved competitiveness, through a significant reduction in the use of fuel oil, and potential for growth in milk capacity.

Established in 1948, the factory is on the banks of the River Black-water. The chocolate crumb it produces is the base ingredient for chocolate products, and is used in the Cadbury factory in Coolock, Dublin, and also exported to the US, Canada, and the UK.

The factory is a key Co Kerry employer, with a staff of 86.

Head of manufacturing, Ian O’Toole, said: “Rathmore has a proud manufacturing heritage and we are committed to ensuring it continues. This proposed investment demonstrates confidence in our manufacturing capability.”