€1.7 million have been invested in the Gozo Cottage factory, located in the Gozitano complex in Xewkija, in order to strengthen its operation, the government said in a statement.

Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri and Parliamentary Secretary for European Funds Chris Bonett visited the ongoing works at the factory, which has been producing typical and traditional Gozitan food since 2005.

It is one of the companies that benefited from European funds to grow, improve and develop new products, the statement added.

Work is currently underway on a new plant where typical agricultural products such as cheeses, processed meat, and jams are processed. Additionally, work is also underway on a winery where Gozitan wine will be produced. This investment is being made with the aim of modernizing production processing, developing new products, increasing efficiency, as well as expanding production capacity.

“Through this investment, Gozo Cottage will ensure that traditional products associated with Gozo continue to be processed and made available to the consumer, with full respect for the rich culinary heritage we have inherited from generation to generation, and which is associated with this island," Minister Camilleri said.

Bonett said the factory had been given € 700,000 in European funding by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

"From the new package of European funds we will see that we continue to create more schemes so that more businesses and companies benefit from funds through which they can grow and diversify and offer a better product not only to the local consumer but also to tourists,” he said

Gozo Cottage Director Joseph Grech explained that over the years the work of Gozo Cottage has also meant that Gozitan primary producers, farmers and ranchers, have been given a new and growing market where they can sell their products to the tourist and even local market. He added that the new products being developed through this new investment will continue to help the Gozitan agricultural sector.