Dale Farm AGM hears cooperative is preparing for next phase of growth

Addressing members, Dale Farm Chair Fred Allen and Group Chief Executive Nick Whelan reflected on another successful year for the business, highlighting the strong operational performance reported in the cooperative's annual results.

The AGM heard that turnover increased to £749.3 million during the year ended March 2026, while EBITDA rose to £50.6 million. Operating profit increased to £39.2 million and net profit before tax reached £33 million. Net debt reduced by £32.8 million to £29.6 million.

The cooperative paid an average milk price of 40.38 pence per litre (after transport costs), returning £409 million to farmer members through milk payments which included £10 million through an additional 1p per litre bonus payment. Based on the Irish Farmers Journal milk league data, Dale Farm’s milk price outperformed the Northern Ireland weighted average over one, three and five years. In the past year this performance equates to approximately £1,000 of additional income per month on average for a Dale Farm member. Dale Farm now collects and processes more than one billion litres of milk annually, with its milk pool growing by 13% over the past two years.

The meeting also focused on the long-term future of dairy farming and the importance of maintaining a strong and sustainable milk supply.

Members heard that while the dairy sector continues to face challenges, including evolving environmental regulations and wider economic pressures, Dale Farm remains committed to helping farmers build productive and profitable businesses for the future.

Dale Farm Chair, Fred Allen, added: “The strength of Dale Farm has always been rooted in our farmer members and the quality of milk they produce. While the industry faces significant change, we remain confident in the long-term future of dairy and in the opportunities that lie ahead for efficient, progressive farm businesses.

“Our milk pool has continued to grow strongly reflecting the confidence members have in the cooperative and in the future of dairy farming. Our role is to maximise the returns paid to our farmers, provide a support framework to ensure the future sustainability of farm businesses, and invest in the cooperative to secure its long-term future.”

The AGM also heard how Dale Farm is continuing to invest in improving efficiency across its processing operations, helping ensure the cooperative remains competitive in export markets while delivering value back to members.

Looking to the longer term, members were briefed on major changes taking place across the international dairy industry, including increasing global demand for dairy ingredients and proteins, continuing consolidation across the sector and growing investment by leading dairy companies.

Group Chief Executive, Nick Whelan, said: “Dale Farm has always taken a long-term approach to building value for its members. The strength of our recent performance means we can continue investing in our facilities, our people and the future development of the cooperative.

“Our responsibility is to ensure Dale Farm is well positioned for the opportunities emerging across global dairy markets. That means protecting and strengthening our core business while exploring opportunities that can support our customers, future growth, diversification and long-term value creation for members.”