International dairy buyers flocked to the UK from around the world this week as part of the UK dairy showcase, which has been funded and delivered through the £1million Dairy Export Programme announced at the Farm to Fork summit in 2023.
The event hoped to boost UK dairy exports as a whole category to countries all over the world, and is a key ask of the NFU’s Dairy Export Strategy.
Showcasing the diversity of British dairy
International buyers saw UK dairy at its finest as the week provided an opportunity to showcase the whole supply chain, from dairy farm to processing sites.
Across two days of site visits, which included tours of NFU members’ farms accompanied by NFU staff and board members, buyers saw first hand the diverse range of commodities the UK produces.
The visits put a spotlight on why the UK is one of the best dairy producing countries in the world – the high standards of animal health and welfare and food safety standards that are present in our dairy production systems make the UK renown around the world as a reliable supplier of tasty, safe, and nutritious dairy products.
“This week’s export showcase has been an exciting opportunity for the British dairy sector to stand out, reinforcing our reputation as world leaders in the dairy market and offering a great platform to demonstrate our global credentials as producers of sustainable, climate-friendly dairy products.”
NFU Dairy Board chair Paul Tompkins
Reinforcing British dairy’s sustainability commitments
Buyers also visited cheddar cheese producers in Somerset where they had the opportunity to learn about UK dairy’s rich and historic agricultural tradition of producing unique and distinctive cheeses.
NFU dairy board member Sophie Gregory accompanied the cohort and described the visit as “invaluable for building personal connections that can lead to future export opportunities”.
“The potential to export dairy products globally presents an exciting chance to drive the value of the dairy sector,” said Sophie. “The showcase reinforced the UK’s reputation as a leader in dairy production while highlighting the industry’s commitment to sustainable and climate-friendly practices.
“With government support, industry expertise, and a strong reputation for quality, the British dairy sector is well-positioned to take advantage of global opportunities and continue its success in exports.”
The event culminated in a world class showcase dinner, hosted at Ashridge House in Hertfordshire. This was another opportunity to showcase the diversity of the sector, with UK dairy at the heart of the menu. The event also featured a gala reception with product tastings and the opportunity for exporters and international buyers to network further.
Building future export relationships
Ahead of the event, dozens of UK exporters were briefed by AHDB as to what the buyers are looking for in their market. Over 50 exporters held one-to-one business meetings with international buyers, promoting their products, helping to forge relationships and bid to secure contracts for the future.
The development of these relationships has the potential to increase the volume of British dairy exports, generating value for the domestic industry as a whole.
Collaborative working
The event is the result of cross industry lobbying and the work of the Dairy Export Taskforce, for which the NFU acts as secretariat and coordinator, and is an excellent example of outcome led collaboration between industry and the government.
The taskforce has also helped lead the way when it comes to identifying key unique selling points for UK Dairy - linked to the Department for Business and Trade’s “Great” campaign. With the strapline ‘When great dairy matters- UK Dairy delivers,’ this work has shown how the UK is a centre of dairy excellence producing great tasting, nutritious and versatile dairy products which have a great story to tell and are:
- High quality
- Distinctively delicious
- Consistently produced
- Diverse
- Sustainable
- And from animals farmed with care to high animal health and welfare standards
The importance of exports
Continuing to drive dairy exports, add value to the supply chain and establish new trading relationships will continue to be a focus for the NFU Dairy Board to help the UK sector position itself to take advantage of the global rise in the demand for dairy protein, and provide confidence to domestic exporters to invest in their milk fields for the future.
NFU Dairy Board chair Paul Tompkins explained: “We have previously exported more than £2 billion worth of dairy products annually to more than 135 countries and have the potential to continue to increase that value within the next decade.
“However, boosting exports requires commitment and resource from government, working in partnership with industry, to reduce trade barriers, help create market opportunities and enable growth.
“This week’s export showcase has been an exciting opportunity for the British dairy sector to stand out, reinforcing our reputation as world leaders in the dairy market and offering a great platform to demonstrate our global credentials as producers of sustainable, climate-friendly dairy products.”
AHDB will monitor the outcome of the activities and are exploring the prospect of running a return visit to key markets to further foster business relations.
Graham Wilkinson, AHDB CEO, said: “AHDB, collaborating closely with industry, government and other key stakeholders is committed to driving further export growth in the sector. The dairy showcase provided the perfect platform to highlight our world-leading products and high production standards.
“It complemented AHDB’s extensive international market development activity, including inward and outward trade missions and participation in trade shows around the world.
“The showcase will help build and strengthen relationships between our exporters and buyers from multiple markets, creating further opportunities for our dairy exports on the global stage.”
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