Wales’ oldest dairy farming co-operative is celebrating record sales of £52.9 million and the creation of 11 new jobs.

South Caernarfon Creameries, based in Chwilog, near Pwllheli, has expanded its product range, grown its customer base and recruited more Welsh farmers as supplying members.

The creamery, which makes Dragon-branded cheeses and butter plus a wide range of award-winning products for the retail, wholesale and export markets, saw a 17 per cent increase in sales in the last financial year.

It means total sales generated by the plant have increased by some 60 per cent in the last two years. The growth follows a major £13.5m investment to expand its production and packaging facilities in 2016.

SCC’s annual financial report for the year ending March 2019 shows the company’s operating profit at £2.2m.

It comes after the staff team was expanded to 130, with 11 more staff taken on, generating a total wage bill worth £3.3m to the local economy in north Wales, on top of £37m in payments to the co-op’s 130 farming members for their milk.

Alan Wyn Jones, managing director at South Caernarfon Creameries, said: “These are exciting times for all of us at South Caernarfon Creameries.

“The directors of the business are satisfied with the overall financial performance for the period which were in-line with expectations.”

“We are delighted to have posted record sales for the second year running, helping to secure the futures for our staff here at Chwilog, our suppliers, our farming members and our wider stakeholders.”

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