A major British cheese producer has been granted planning permission to double its capacity in a bid to target specific regions worldwide with new products.
Wyke Farms, one of the UK's largest independent cheese producers and milk processor, will re-build its Bruton-based dairy, based in Somerset, which will double capacity.
The company said that the redevelopment is part of its five-year plan for growth which is underpinned by increasing volume and the targeting of specific regions world-wide with new products.
The new dairy expansion project, titled 'Ivy's Dairy' after Wyke Farms' matriarch Ivy Clothier, will create a 16,589 sq m production facility.
Wyke Farms said the investment will secure a sustainable long-term future for the business and sufficient infrastructure for servicing increased sales of its cheeses in both the UK and export markets.
The group’s accounts show that its turnover rose to a record high of £85m in the year to March 2018, a 26% increase on the previous period.
It is hoped that investment in world markets will push the business to a £100m turnover this financial year.
Richard Clothier, Wyke Farms’ Managing Director, said: “Our strategy of selling into a growing export market has been very successful; it generates revenue that allows us to mitigate against the risks that a volatile dairy sector and a disrupted UK retail sector may bring.
“The new dairy is crucial to facilitate the growth and meet global demand.”
