Plans for a £26 million extension of Diageo's Baileys Global Supply Facility in Mallusk have been approved.

The plans were approved by Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council.

The site is one of only two global production sites of the Baileys brand.

The Mallusk site focuses on the original Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur and includes the production, bottling, labelling and storage of the product before distribution. Approval of the expansion plans will enable Diageo to improve its logistics and warehousing facilities. Work on the multi-year project is expected to commence in early 2024.

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The facility at Mallusk produces over 60 million bottles of Baileys every year, sending them to 150 countries worldwide. It is one of three Diageo sites in Northern Ireland, which also includes a beer canning and packaging facility in East Belfast and its corporate headquarters located in Belfast city centre.

Commenting, Lesley Allen, Operations Manager at Baileys Mallusk, said: "We are delighted with the Council’s decision to approve our plans to extend our site at Mallusk. The extension will support the storage, delivery and distribution of raw materials and finished goods and we are looking forward to the opportunities it will create for us.

"Baileys makes a considerable contribution to the local economy in Northern Ireland, and over 97% of our output is shipped around the world. We are confident that the planned extension will support Diageo’s wider growth strategy, building on the £40m investment we made in opening the site in 2003 and the ongoing investments to further develop the facility and the Baileys brand."