Irish dairy products firm Ornua has entered into an agreement to supply New Zealand homemade yogurt brand EasiYo’s products in the UK and Europe.
In this regard, Ornua Nutrition Ingredients (ONI) has signed a 5-year ‘end-to-end’ partnership deal with the New Zealand company to jointly invest €850,000 in a new production facility at the former’s headquarters in Leek in the UK.
Using high-speed, sachet-packing lines, the new facility will not only blend but also pack Irish dairy powders into the complete product range of EasiYo natural and flavoured yogurt mixes.
Ornua Nutrition Ingredients managing director Alastair Jackson said: “Ornua’s strategic objective is to develop opportunities for the export of Irish dairy products and this important partnership with EasiYo demonstrates that we are making strong progress in developing added value routes to market for high-quality, grass fed Irish milk products.”
It will be the first time that EasiYo products will be produced outside New Zealand, which the company calls is a significant development for its brand on the global front.
EasiYo Products CEO Brian Dewar said: “The UK and EU markets represent a multi-million euro opportunity for us to capitalise on the growing consumer trend of making fresh, wholesome, food at home.
“Moving manufacture and supply closer to our key accounts means we can respond to our customers’ needs faster while significantly improving our environmental footprint. With so many similarities between Ornua Nutrition Ingredients and EasiYo, this partnership was a natural fit for our business.”
EasiYo is said to have strong brand reach across its home country, Australia and the Far East while it plans to move into the UK and Europe with a major business development and marketing move to grow its distribution and sales.
