Mariposa Dairy expands operations – again

Lindsay, Ont.-based Mariposa Dairy Ltd. has received funding – for the second time in just over a year – this time through Ontario’s Rural Economic Development program, reports the myKawartha.com.

More than $200,000 in funding will go toward refurbishing and modernizing the company’s existing food processing facility to accommodate more packaging flexibility, higher processing speeds and better materials handling capacity.

All this will help expand the company’s production line of goat cheeses.

The funding will also create up to 21 new jobs, retain more than 50 positions, support local farmers and strengthen the Kawartha Lakes region.

A strong agri-food industry is part of the Open Ontario plan to create jobs and opportunities to boost the province’s economy.

For Mariposa, this is the second time the company has received provincial funding.

Last September, the company received $172,600 that went toward automating its manufacturing process, developing new products and upgrading workers’ skills.

That funding also created 11 new jobs.

The myKawarthas.com story also reports that the company took part in the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest in Middletown, Wis. in August.

The company’s Celebrity International Cranberry and Cinnamon Goat Cheese took first place with a score of 99, while the Celebrity International Mediterranean Goat Cheese took third place, earning a score of 98.45, in the goat milk cheese category.