Nigel Davies of USDAW said the plant would close in July

Instead, efforts would be focused on trying to find the 200 staff at the Llangadog creamery alternative jobs.

Dairy Farmers of Britain (DFB), which owns the site in Carmarthenshire, said on Wednesday the plant would close.

Unions met the firm and representatives from the Welsh Development Agency (WDA), county council and training agencies on Thursday.

I think it's important at this stage to guard against any false hope Nigel Davies, USDAW

Nigel Davies of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDAW) said on Thursday: "They were quite certain that they will not go back on this.

"It was clearly pointed out to us that the decision was one it had taken them a long time to arrive at and they went into some detail to explain to us why that was."

He said the plant was now likely to close in July.

"The redundancy package, we have to say, will we hope prove to be quite favourable with our members."

Mr Davies said the USDAW would be meeting with representatives of the Welsh Development Agency to see if another employer could be brought to the site.

Workers were told on Wednesday they would be loosing their jobs

But he added: "I think it's important at this stage to guard against any false hope but what I can assure every member is that we will fro everything possible along with the company to explore every avenue."

Carmarthenshire Council said it had made arrangements to team-up with the WDA, JobCentre Plus and Elwa to support those made redundant.

Director of regeneration Dave Gilbert said: "We will be doing all we can to help the creamery workforce find alternative employment within the area.

"There are possible opportunities coming up in the food industry, particularly with the new development planned for Cross Hands.