Sales surge encourages expansion at Northern Irish luxury yoghurt business

Surging sales in the Republic of Ireland is encouraging farm-based Clandeboye Estate Luxury Yoghurt to step up production.

The company, Northern Ireland's only local yoghurt producer, is bringing forward plans to develop a new production facility to provide the additional capacity required for its popular artisan natural, Greek-style, flavoured yoghurts and smoothies.

Clandeboye secured its biggest contract to date in the Republic of Ireland from Aldi, the German discounter, for its yoghurts made from the Clandeboye Estate farm's UK award winning Holstein herd. Aldi recently increased its order with Clandeboye, which will see the yoghurt on sale in more than 120 of its stores.

And the growing success of the yoghurt business, especially outside Northern Ireland, where it already has an extensive market share, diversifying into other products such as artisan cheese.

The estate is also planning to build an anaerobic digester to convert waste into energy for its range of operations, including yoghurt production, and thereby increase downward pressure on running costs.

"Our yoghurt processing is operating close to full capacity at the moment from the growth in sales of our luxury products that continue to win widespread acclaim because of their outstanding quality and, above all, taste," says general manager Bryan Boggs.

"Plans that are under development will result in a significant increase in capacity and position us for even faster growth," he adds.

These plans have already led to the installation of a new pot filling line, a £70,000 investment that has led to a step up in output for the Aldi business in particular. Aldi is selling the luxury yoghurt under the established Clandeboye Estate brand.

Clandeboye Estate, which has won a string of awards for its artisan products, is supplying its Greek-style and Madagascan Vanilla premium yoghurts to Aldi in a deal that followed the producer's success in clinching the 'Best Yoghurt' category in last year's highly influential Irish Quality Food and Drink Awards in Dublin, a competition that's watched closely by top retailers including discounters.

"We are delighted to have won what is our biggest deal yet in the Republic of Ireland, now a key export market for us," Mr Boggs continues.

Clandeboye is now shipping its yoghurts to two Aldi depots in the Republic. The initial order for 61 stores has now grown to over 120 supermarkets there.

The artisan company's natural and Greek-style yoghurts are hand made using traditional techniques to provide a rich, creamy texture without fat content. The milk, sourced fresh every morning from the estate's award winning Holstein and Jersey herd, is prepared and cultured very gently over a 24-hour period in small batches. This helps to create a deliciously rich flavour and texture. The Greek style yoghurt is also made in traditional way by straining through cheesecloth to create a product with absolutely no thickening additives and therefore no added fats.

The company - in business for almost a decade - started out as a farm diversification project driven by Lady Dufferin, the estate owner and a widely known artist.

Clandeboye contributed to other innovative projects involving local food producers. For instance, it provides yoghurt to Morelli's ice cream in Coleraine for its frozen yoghurt. The business, in addition, was approached by Around Noon, the Newry-based specialist in premium sandwiches and snacks, to support its development of an innovative breakfast 'on the go' product for clients in the Republic of Ireland.

The product, part of Around Noon's quirky A Bit on the Side 'portfolio of quality snacks, has already won significant business with a leading café chain in the Republic. It features Clandeboye Greek Style Yoghurt with layers of nut free granola and a rich fruit compote developed by the Newry business. Around Noon chose Clandeboye Yoghurt because of its outstanding flavour.

"We've always been keen to work with other food businesses in Northern Ireland on potential products and have had a number of approaches about collaboration. We have an open approach to new product ideas because innovation is at the very heart of our business," he adds.