Lakeland Dairies

The Brief

Lakeland Dairies operates across multiple sectors including food ingredients, foodservice, agri-business and consumer dairy products, with a presence that extends far beyond Ireland.

Their existing website did not fully reflect this scale or complexity. The new platform needed to communicate the organisation’s global reach and capabilities, present a diverse set of business areas in a clear and structured way, serve multiple audiences, from farmers and partners to international buyers, support recruitment and talent acquisition, function effectively across devices, particularly for users in rural environments

A key objective was to ensure the website positioned Lakeland Dairies not just as a co-operative, but as a significant international player in dairy production and supply.

The Process

We worked closely with a steering committee representing different areas of the organisation to define priorities and ensure alignment across stakeholders. Given the breadth of the business, the focus was on creating a platform that could bring multiple strands together in a cohesive way.

Our approach centred on simplifying how information is organised and accessed, clearly separating business divisions while maintaining a unified identity, ensuring the platform could serve both local and international audiences and designing with mobile-first considerations, recognising how many users would access the site The aim was to create a site that feels both globally relevant and locally grounded.

Structure & Experience

To manage the scale of content, we developed a clear and logical structure that allows users to quickly find what is relevant to them. This included distinct sections for each business area, tailored content pathways for different audience groups, a navigation system designed to reduce complexity despite the volume of information and clear entry points for key actions such as enquiries and recruitment.

The experience was designed to accommodate a wide range of users — from farmers checking updates to international partners exploring capabilities.

Design & Build

The visual approach reflects both the heritage of the co-operative and its modern, global operations.

We focused on:

• strong, purposeful imagery that connects farming, production and global distribution
• a clean and structured layout that supports readability
• a responsive design to ensure accessibility across mobile, tablet and desktop
• consistent use of brand elements to reinforce identity across all sections

The website was built using ExpressionEngine, providing a secure and flexible content management system that allows internal teams to manage updates efficiently.

The Result

The completed platform provides a unified digital presence that aligns with the scale and ambition of Lakeland Dairies.

• A clear representation of the organisation’s global operations
• Improved access to information across multiple business areas
• A platform that serves both local stakeholders and international audiences
• A stronger foundation for marketing, communication and recruitment
• A system that supports ongoing content development and growth

The website now plays a central role in how Lakeland Dairies communicates with its audiences.

• Stronger global positioning, reflecting the organisation’s international reach
• Improved usability, making it easier to navigate complex information
• Increased engagement across devices, particularly among mobile users
• Enhanced recruitment capability, supporting talent acquisition through dedicated careers content
• A more cohesive digital identity, aligning all areas of the business

Ultimately, the platform brings together the co-operative’s heritage, operations and future ambitions into a single, accessible digital experience.

“From the ‘get-go’ we knew that we needed to work with a design agency that had the technical capability and the creativity to be able to convey the Lakeland story into a fit for purpose and user friendly website. When we first met the Framework Design team, led by Cameron Ross, we knew that we had found the ‘right partner’ for us to work with. The emphasis here is on partner because that is what the working relationship was from the very start; ‘a partnership’. There were lots of times during the project when the Framework Design folks appeared and were more energised and passionate about the project then we perhaps were and yet they remained patient as we slowly worked our way through providing content for them to work with. Today we have a website that is truly reflective of our heritage and forward looking innovative approach to what we do. First class work.”

- Tadhg O’Halloran - Lakeland Dairies