Glanbia Ingredients Ireland (GII) is to invest €35m in its Wexford cheese plant.

The investment at the former Wexford Creamery plant, which is also supported by Enterprise Ireland, will double peak milk processing capacity at the plant on the outskirts of Wexford town.

The plant, which currently employs 48 people, was acquired by Glanbia in 2014.

Last year, the plant produced almost 20,000t of cheddar cheese.

Jim Bergin, CEO of Glanbia Ingredients Ireland (GII), said: “This investment will enable further growth in our Wexford Cheese brand, which is being marketed in Ireland, the UK, the USA and the Middle East.”

This investment comes as GII has seen its milk supply increase 22% in the 10 months since milk quota abolition last April.

In the past three years, GII has invested €235m in its processing plants at Virginia (Co Cavan), Ballyragget and Belview (Co Waterford).

As well as increasing GII’s cheese processing capacity, the Wexford investment will deliver an additional whey stream for the sports nutrition sector.