Dairygold is to set up a €15.6m research and development centre in Mitchelstown, which will see the doubling of its research staff to 30.
The new Applied Food Sciences centre, supported by Enterprise Ireland, will be operational by 2007 and will also see increased collaboration with Teagasc and UCC. The centre has the capacity for 50 people and it is hoped this figure will be reached after 2007.
Dairygold's chief executive Jerry Henchy says the company's objective is to lead the way in the development of innovative new value added food products.
'The centre will require significant funding going forward but the potential rewards to be gained both through the development of new products and the creation of intellectual property assets are exciting,' he added.
