An Irish dairies co-operative has confirmed that it paid over £75 million to dairy farm families in County Armagh last year, underlining the co-operative’s strong contribution to the local economy and rural communities.
Lakeland Dairies’ payment forms part of a total of €1.05 billion distributed to over 3,000 farm families across 17 counties reflecting Lakeland Dairies’ continued focus on delivering competitive returns to its milk suppliers, in line with market conditions.
The announcement comes as Lakeland Dairies reported a solid financial performance for 2025, with revenues of €1.93 billion, profit before tax of €25.2 million.
Using local produced milk, Lakeland Dairies makes 240 different dairy products which it exports to over 100 countries worldwide. Last year, dairy farmers supplied a record volume of 2.14 billion litres of milk to the co-operative.
The significant return to Armagh farmers highlights the central role of dairy farming in supporting economic activity across the county, with farm income continuing to sustain local businesses, services and employment.
Lakeland Dairies Chairperson Niall Matthews said: “Dairy farming continues to play a vital role in rural communities where the income generated on farms supports the wider local economy. Our farm families produced record volumes of high-quality milk in 2025 and we are pleased to have delivered strong returns despite a more volatile market environment.”
Group CEO Colin Kelly added: “2025 was another very solid year for Lakeland Dairies with revenues and profitability increasing while we continue to prioritise competitive market returns and disciplined reinvestment in the business. By converting high-quality milk into value-added products, we are building a resilient and sustainable co-operative that will continue to benefit rural communities into the future.”
Lakeland Dairies said the co-operative model ensures that value generated from dairy farming is retained locally, supporting balanced regional development and sustainable rural communities.
