The failed Leprino cheese plant in Portlaoise is on sale for €12m, only five years after it first opened.
The plant was originally built as a joint venture between Glanbia and Leprino, which is a US food company. It was designed to produce mozzarella cheese and cheese strings, complementing plants in Northern Ireland and Wales.
In part, the plant being built in Ireland in the post-Brexit era was couched as maintaining a production footprint within the EU. However, the plant ceased production last year, with all cheese production returning to the other two plants in Craigavon and Llangefni. Over 100 jobs were lost.
The sale price is less than 10% of the build cost of the plant, as the project cost a reported €130m.
Over €7m of taxpayer money was invested in the project, more than half the asking price for the facility.
The plant was dogged by production issues through it’s short working lifespan, and in the end, Leprino decided that closure was necessary.
Glanbia sold its interest in the business in 2023.
Tirlán was supplying product to the Portlaoise plant, and has stated that its broader trading relationship with Leprino continues.
The failed Leprino cheese plant in Portlaoise is on sale for €12m, only five years after it first opened.
The plant was originally built as a joint venture between Glanbia and Leprino, which is a US food company. It was designed to produce mozzarella cheese and cheese strings, complementing plants in Northern Ireland and Wales.
In part, the plant being built in Ireland in the post-Brexit era was couched as maintaining a production footprint within the EU. However, the plant ceased production last year, with all cheese production returning to the other two plants in Craigavon and Llangefni. Over 100 jobs were lost.
The sale price is less than 10% of the build cost of the plant, as the project cost a reported €130m.
Over €7m of taxpayer money was invested in the project, more than half the asking price for the facility.
The plant was dogged by production issues through it’s short working lifespan, and in the end, Leprino decided that closure was necessary.
Glanbia sold its interest in the business in 2023.
Tirlán was supplying product to the Portlaoise plant, and has stated that its broader trading relationship with Leprino continues.
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