UK cheese exporters group launched

With the Department for Environment, Foods and Rural Affairs’ full support, Dairy UK is launching a Cheese Exporters Group. The new initiative was unveiled at the All Party Parliamentary Cheese Group reception in London. David Heath, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food says: “I’m very pleased to give my personal support to this new Dairy UK initiative that should be very complementary to work to boost the dairy industry through improving its exports capability.”

“We’re very excited about this new group and particularly pleased that Minister of State for Agriculture and Food David Heath has given it his support,” says Dairy UK director general Jim Begg.

“The overall objective of the initiative is to encourage British cheese makers to focus more on export markets for cheese. One of the key the activities of the new group will be examination of opportunities for collaborative activity. This might involve product development, sharing market intelligence, joint marketing activities and sharing routes to market. Other group activities will include liaison with Defra and UKTI, sharing market information and best practice on export markets, and identification of priority countries for resolution of outstanding export health certification issues.

“David Heath will, on behalf of both Defra and Dairy UK, soon be writing to cheese makers to invite them to attend the first meeting of the group,” Begg adds.