Stephen Jones

Q. What prepared you for your current role?

Originally I was the buyer for Sainsbury’s, primarily in yogurt, butter and margarine. I joined Dairyvale in the early 1980s, which focused on trading in milk powders and dairy products to the Caribbean, Far East, Middle East and speciality cheese to the US. At Dairyvale, I met my now long-term business partner Ernie Waldron, and in 1990, we set up Somerdale International.

Q. How has the British cheese industry changed?

The cheeses are a lot more specialised and there is a lot of artisanal cheeses. For a long time, there was no real export market, and the UK lagged far being the Netherlands and Italy. We got together as an industry and we now have specific producers and consumers are more discerning. British cheeses have a good story to tell, and we’ve become more sophisticated versus US commodity cheddars. The UK has a good animal husbandry story, and that needs to be sold a bit more to the international market.

The speciality food market in the US growing, but it is still quite young. For example, the Midwest is still a very young market. Consumers have access to the internet, and they travel much more, so it’s a global food market now.

Q. What effect will Brexit have on exports?

Nobody knows! But we will adapt, and hopefully the bilateral trade deals and the weak pound will have benefits for export. It will be five years minimum before it settles down. Free trade is not just about cheese, it’s about financial services and the ability to sell our products overseas. It’s going to be quite complex. Most of our business is outside the EU, so it won’t affect us too much. We’re just exchanging red tape for red, white and blue tape in the system.

Q. What countries are your biggest outlets and why?

The US is our biggest market, and 50 per cent of our sales are from there. Shipments leave for New York every week. We have also grown in markets such as the Caribbean and Australia, and emerging markets such as the Middle East, North Africa and Brazil. Our bestseller is good UK cheddar and other cheeses with a lot of provenance, such as Shropshire Blue and Stilton.

Growth in the future will come from Southeast Asia and China, where there is a growing middle class. There is a lifestyle and they drink and eat certain western foods. A lot of younger people there are educated in western Europe, so they earn good money and want to spend it. Over the next 10 years, we expect to see good growth in places like India, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand.

Q.  What do you think is the key selling point for British cheeses and why?

The UK should appreciate the quality of its local food. We have a lot of good products, and the idea is to sell the concept abroad. A lot of local producers can’t afford to do it by themselves. We don’t sell ourselves as a country enough. We are a bit shy about it.

Our selling point is quality, and cheese makers are developing new flavours for the way people eat cheese now. For example, high end burgers chains want decent cheese for their burgers, such as a smoked cheddar.

As a company, Somerdale’s range of cheeses includes brands specifically developed for export markets. including the Somerdale and Westminster Cheese. While many of the cheeses we offer are traditional, we are also proud of the ability to create new cheeses for international markets. We export over 250 British cheeses to more than 50 countries.

Q. What do you see as your greatest achievement? Greatest challenge?

We were awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade in 2016 having also received it in 2009. In 1990, we had nothing, and we now have £32 million (€38.1m) in turnover. The challenge is to serve the markets well. People send emails and expect an instant reply, no matter where they are in the world. The trick is also to get the products to them in good condition and with the right label and barcode for that country. We have three people in the US, one in Australia and one in China to serve our customers. Compliance is not just about the product, it’s about having the correct health certificates and complying with all the local regulations. Health certification is now much more onerous than when we started.

Q. What does a typical day look like for you?

A day can be about trying new products, talking to customers, or discussing promotions with retailers. Demonstrations are about selling the product well, with free samples. We take buyers to dairies so they can see how the products are made. We’re selling their story and giving it provenance. Cheese makers are very passionate about their products and I enjoy mingling with cheese makers.

Q. Outside of work, what are your hobbies/interests?

I travel quite a bit, and we cycle. I enjoy food, and my wife and I both enjoy going on cookery courses.

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