Arla takes its UK butter offering to the next level as it expands production at its bespoke facility at Westbury

Arla’s investment in the development of its bespoke butter facility at Westbury, is allowing the company to extend its UK manufactured butter offering with production of Anchor block butter beginning at the site. This will be available from September.

Arla entered into a joint venture with Milk Link and First Milk in September 2010 and took responsibility for the butter operation at Westbury. Following production of retail block butter beginning at the site in August 2011, production of Anchor block butter will further increase the supply of UK produced butter for Arla, while at the same time significantly reducing food miles and in turn its carbon footprint.

“Bringing production of Anchor to the UK is part of our long-term growth strategy and the investment at Westbury has facilitated this. As well as being directly in line with our Closer to Nature ambition, it is a further example of Arla’s commitment to the UK as we have created a home for more British cream and are adding value to it,” said Arla’s supply chain director, Lars Dalsgaard.

Arla’s investment at Westbury makes it the most modern and technologically advanced butter production facility in the UK and it is churning out award winning product. Its retail salted block butter won several prestigious accolades at this summer’s Great Yorkshire Show. As well as the Prince of Wales Award for Outstanding Quality, it picked up a gold award and best butter award.

Arla Foods UK plc is home to some of the UK’s leading dairy brands including Cravendale, Lurpak and Anchor. Processing approximately two billion litres of milk a year Arla continues to be one of the UK’s leading dairy companies and a supplier of fresh liquid milk and cream to the top seven retailers.

Over 2,500 daily deliveries are made directly to stores nationwide and Arla brands can be found across the dairy category. As well as the leader of the butter, spreads and margarine sector, and a major supplier of other added value products including flavoured milk and cheese, Arla continues to build working relationships with Arla Foods Milk Partnership, a unique group of dairy farmers, which supplies around 90 per cent of Arla's total milk requirements.

Behind this leading business is a team of circa 2,800 people across the UK located at our dairies, distribution centres and head office.