Mona Island Dairy Farm is set to become the “most sustainable in Europe”, running only on renewable electricity, following a £3 million grant from the Business Innovation and Tourism Escalator Scheme.

The Welsh cheesemaker said the funding will support production of Welsh and continental cheeses at the 25,000 sq ft facility, based on Mona Industrial Park, Holyhead, adding that additional funding in the form of loans and equity would support the £20 million site conversion due for completion this September.

“The cheese production line has been built to accommodate the company’s future growth ambitions,” said Mona Dairy managing director Ronald Akkerman.

He continued: He continued: “Biodegradable wastes such as milk residue will be processed at the nearby Mona Biogas plant on Anglesey and all the process water will be recovered from the whey concentration, thereby minimising the intake of potable water.”

Akkermann claimed that these new practices would make it “the most environmentally friendly factory in Europe, running completely on renewable electricity.”

The project is expected to create up to 100 new jobs in the local area.

Lesley Griffiths, the minister responsible for rural affairs in North Wales and Trefnydd said: “It is good to see that milk from local farms will be used in the production of the cheese which will be a boost for the dairy industry, and it is great to see the measures taken to minimise the impact on the environment.”

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