One Sweet Deal: Baileys Gets Approval For Facility Expansion Worth Equivalent of $33 Million USD

Baileys just received a new deal equivalent to $30 million for an expansion of its facilities in Northern Ireland (Photo: Baileys/Facebook)

An expansion plan worth the equivalent of $33 million USD was approved for the Baileys brand on Tuesday, according to the Irish News. The plans were approved by the brand’s parent company, Diageo and the expansion of Baileys facilities is set to begin in early 2024 in Northern Ireland.

Baileys is produced at two global production centers, one of which is The Mallusk site in Co Antrum.

Initial plans for the site’s expansion were discussed in 2022, and the city council’s planning committee signed off on the initiatives this week.

Funds for the $33 million investment will be diverted to improving logistics and warehouse facilities, as Diageo produces 60 million bottles of Baileys annually. The project is slated to take place over several years.

“The extension will support storage, delivery and distribution of raw materials and finished goods and we are looking forward to the opportunities it will create for us,” said Lesley Allen, operations manager at the Mallusk facilities according to the Irish News.

The Spirits Business claims that Baileys provides jobs for over 300 people at its Northern Ireland facilities, as well as supports other jobs across the local supply chain.

In addition to sustaining the current jobs in place, the site’s expansion will create an additional 100 construction jobs and 30-35 positions for the post-construction process.

Diageo also chose to focus on sustainability during the planning phase of the facility’s extension. The spirits behemoth intends to make the Mallusk site net zero over the course of seven years.

“Baileys makes a considerable contribution to the local economy in Northern Ireland, and over 97 percent of our output is shipped around the world,” Allen continued. “We are confident the planned extension will support Diageo’s wider growth strategy, building on the £40 million ($51 million USD) investment we made in opening the site in 2003 and the ongoing investments to further develop the facility and the Baileys brand.”

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