Family-run County Durham dairy exporter plans workforce expansion amid £6m profits
A County Durham-headquartered company, which is one of the largest exporters of dairy products in the country, plans to grow its workforce after reporting an uptick in both turnover and profits.
In the year ended 31 March 2025 Prima Cheese generated turnover of £108.9m, up from £104.2m in the prior year which spanned 53 weeks. Pre-tax profits rose from £5.2m to £6m. In a report with the results, Prima Cheese said the improved customer mix was a "significant factor contributing to the increase in the gross margin in FY24 was maintained throughout FY25".
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Nagma Ebanks Beni MBE, co chief executive of the business, told Insider that during the year it enhanced the efficiency of its operations and focused on the "quality and consistency of our products through advanced food systems and processes".
Elsewhere, the company invested in its London office, enabling it to become its commercial hub. It also had a "huge rebrand rollout encompassing all customer touch points from packaging, truck livery, corporate branding and consumer focused support marketing" allowing the business to "remain dynamic and relevant within a fast paced and ever changing marketplace".
Moving forward, Prima Cheese plans to invest millions of pounds into its County Durham site, while it intends to grow its overall workforce by 10 - 15 per cent.
Beni added: "Myself and my brother have now been solely in charge of the company since 2020 with my parents fully retired since then. We expect to continue the growth trajectory by embracing innovation in both technology and food production. Partnerships play a huge part in our business values which remains a big part of our family heritage."