ONE of Stranraer’s biggest employers is set to sponsor this year’s oyster festival.
Lactalis UK and Ireland was announced as the headline sponsor for the 2025 festival on Monday. The company is part of the world’s largest dairy company and operates two manufacturing sites in Stranraer, The Caledonian Cheese Company, which produces Scottish cheddar for the Seriously and Galloway brands, and McLelland Cheese Packing which specialises in packing block, grated, and sliced cheddar.
The partnership represents a significant boost for the community-led event, which takes place from September 12-14.
Speaking on behalf of Lactalis, Stranraer-born and based Kevin Hamilton said: “We are absolutely delighted to be supporting the Stranraer Oyster Festival as headline sponsor. Our Stranraer teams produce some of Scotland’s finest cheese, and we see the same passion and commitment to excellence reflected in everything the Oyster Festival represents.
“This partnership is about backing a community that takes pride in its roots and looks confidently to the future — a community that celebrates its heritage while showcasing the very best of what our town has to offer. The festival’s celebration of quality produce and strong community spirit aligns perfectly with our values as a company that has been proud to call Stranraer home for many years.”
Romano Petrucci, chair of Stranraer Development Trust, the community organisation which organises the festival, added: “When we dreamed up this festival eight years ago, we never imagined we’d have the world’s biggest dairy company backing us as headline sponsor, but that’s exactly the kind of confidence Stranraer inspires now.
“Lactalis employs hundreds of people. They know our community inside out, and their support sends a powerful message – that this town has ambition, it has potential, and it is absolutely going places.”
