Tírlán's Continental Cheese Plant at the Port of Waterford in Belview will be fully operational by 2024.
That's according to the Chief Operations Manager for Tirlán, Jim O'Neill.
Speaking on this week's Farmview on WLR, he said a major recruitment drive is underway.
"We're currently starting a big recruitment drive in the South East," he told presenter, Kieran O'Connor, "so I would ask anyone interested to look up Kilkenny Cheese.
"We are actively looking to fill probably up to 85 positions; anyone with a technical background in terms of engineering, or from a finance perspective - all the regular roles.
"And also then from a maintenance point of view and production operators as well. There are a lot of opportunities."
The sod was first turned on the site in June of last year following a two-year battle over planning permission for the plant.
The project came under intense scrutiny after Kilkenny County Council granted permission in 2019.
The case eventually came before the Supreme Court where five judges heard an appeal by An Taisce/The National Trust for Ireland of a High Court ruling that upheld An Bord Pleanála’s June 2020 permission.
However, the legal challenges came to an end with the Supreme Court's decision in February of last year, with the €140 million factory allowed to proceed.
While it will be at least another 12 months before it is fully operational, Tírlán says it is already a big business benefit to the South East.
"We're on track now - we have a physical building and we're fitting out that building," Jim O'Neill said.
"We expect to process milk early next year and we expect to be fully up and running by March of 2024."
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