First Milk and Adams Announce Integrated Cheese Partnership
UK – Dairy cooperative First milk and cheese producer Adams Food have established a long-term partnership promising a fully integrated hard cheese supply chain.
1 November 2013
1 minute read
The announcement will join retail, foodservice and wholesale sectors through the combined skill sets of both companies and centres on the 50,000 tonne cheese processing plant at Leek in Staffordshire.
Sales and marketing in the UK will be undertaken by Adams Foods, while First milk will sell and market cheddars abroad, though the partnership is subject to competition approval.
The amalgamation is expected to increase turnover at Adams Foods to over £500 million, according to company chief executive, Ian Toal.
“It represents a further major investment in building the market for both British and Irish sourced cheese, over and above the £60 million we have already invested in the business, including our state of the art packing facility in Leek and our recently opened innovation centre,” said Mr Toal.
“This partnership is directly in line with our strategic objective of adding value and delivering a sustainable future for our farmers,” said First Milk Chief Executive, Kate Allum.
“It not only enables us to work with a partner to deliver a short, integrated supply chain, but most importantly guarantees secure returns for our members’ milk," she added.
"Additionally, it will provide a platform for us to focus more of our time and resources on priority growth areas like brand development, lifestyle nutrition and exports.”
TheCattleSite News Desk
