Co Donegal bakery company Galard Teo, which trades as Gallagher’s Bakery, has received an €0.8m investment from government agency Údaráis na Gaeltachta for new product development. The cash injection will fund 36 new jobs over the next three years, bringing the job total in the bakery to 207.

The company, based in Ardara in the west of the county, produces a wide range of baguettes, under the French Mill brand; it also bakes pastries, scones and soda bread, besides producing a range of mainly chicken based hot foods.

Five years ago, the bakery, which sells to stores throughout Ireland, started its export drive, targeting Britain and mainland Europe. The company services both retail and food service markets.

Said MD Declan Gallagher: “We have five production units on site which allows us to produce a wide range of products.  We have an all important new speciality range, like hedgehogs, Quineo and hemp seed breads and rolls, not forgetting some of the old favourites like traditional bloomers and cobs,
all suitable for instore bakeries”.

Commenting on the investment, the Irish deputy prime minister and Minister for Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Mary Coughlan said that Gallagher’s expansion was proof that large scale production, in this case bakery products, could be done successfully in a remote rural location.