Family owned Shaftesbury-based dairy manufacturer BV Dairy has announced the approval of £750,000 in funding from the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), which will secure plans to create a major new facility at the company’s existing site.
Construction of the new facility is expected to start in January 2021. The new facility is anticipated to create over 32 high-skilled jobs for the North Dorset rural community.
Vaughan Heard, finance director of BV Dairy, commented: “We are delighted to secure the grant funding from RDPE, which will support us in our aim to provide increased long-term opportunity for local employees and security for farmers and rural workers in North Dorset.”
The new facility for BV Dairy, continues the major investment of the past four years including the new chill-store, a kefir bottling facility, and an automated process department, enabling the business to grow and diversify.
Vaughan added: “We are extremely proud of the wonderful dairy industry heritage and legacy in North Dorset, and to play our part in bringing these quality products to a national and international audience. The additional capacity created by the new facility, together with the improvements in technology, allows us to court major new customers – which in turn creates more opportunity for our dairy farm suppliers.”
The £750,000 grant from RDPE was secured by BV Dairy with the aid of the Dorset business community. Vaughan commented: “I would like to thank the RDPE for its generous grant funding. I also wish to extend my sincere thanks to Simon Hoare (MP for North Dorset), our many Dorset suppliers, and Ian Girling, Chief Executive of Dorset Chamber, for their collective support and assistance in helping BV Dairy to secure the necessary funding.”