Saputo Dairy UK

Name

Saputo Dairy UK

Legal name

Dairy Crest Limited

Website

https://uk.saputo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1933

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dairy Products

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Cheese Manufacturing (311513), Creamery Butter Manufacturing (311512), Dry, Condensed, and Evaporated Dairy Product Manufacturing (311514)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020)

akta.pro primary industry

Dairy Spreads, Dips & Cream Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lactose & Dairy Sweeteners Manufacturing (AFAKAKAK), Plant-Based Dairy-Alternative Ingredients & Bases Manufacturing (Emulsions, Fat Systems, Protein/Starch Bases for B2B) (AFAHAJAI)

Keywords

• Branded dairy products
• Cheese manufacturing
• Dairy ingredients
• Plant-based dairy alternatives
• Infant formula ingredients

Headquarters

HQ city

Guildford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Branded Consumer Food Products: Sale of branded dairy products including cheese, butter, and spreads through retail grocery channels. Flagship brand Cathedral City valued at over £300 million in retail sales and found in more than half of all UK households.
2. International Brand Licensing: Cathedral City brand expansion into international markets including Canada (500+ stores) and United States (2,000+ stores planned). Products manufactured in UK and shipped internationally.
3. Nutritional Ingredients: Production and sale of dairy ingredients including demineralised whey and prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides for the global infant formula market
4. Plant-Based Alternatives: Dairy-free and plant-based products including Sheese, Vitalite, and Cathedral City Plant Based serving vegan and flexitarian consumers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Saputo Dairy UK manufactures and sells market-leading branded dairy products including cheese, butter, spreads, and plant-based alternatives under heritage brands such as Cathedral City, Clover, Country Life, Vitalite, Sheese, Frylight, and Wensleydale. The company also produces specialized dairy ingredients such as demineralised whey, sweet whey powder, and prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides for the global infant formula market, operating from UK manufacturing facilities including the multi-award-winning Davidstow Creamery in Cornwall.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cathedral City UK's favourite cheddar cheese brand, available in Mature, Extra Mature and Vintage 200g block formats, and Cathedral City Plant Based dairy-free alternative. Sold through UK supermarkets and exported to Canada (500+ stores) and the United States (2,000+ stores planned). Cathedral City holds Royal Warrant status and is found in more than half of UK households, valued at over £300 million in retail sales.
• Clover UK's number one dairy spread brand selling 58 million packs in the UK every year. Distributed through major UK supermarket chains including Tesco, Morrisons, Aldi and Asda for household consumption.
• Country Life Award-winning British butter made with 100% British countryside milk and Red Tractor assured. Established brand with over 50 years of heritage and iconic Butter Men advertising.
• Vitalite Vegan-certified, dairy free plant-based spread targeting flexitarian and vegan consumers seeking dairy alternatives.
• Sheese Dairy-free vegan cheese alternative produced by Bute Island Foods (a wholly-owned subsidiary). Targets vegan and flexitarian consumers seeking authentic cheese taste without dairy.
• Frylight The original one-calorie cooking spray acquired through MH Foods in 2011. Sold through UK grocery channels for low-calorie cooking applications.
• Wensleydale Creamery Cheeses Specialty and regional cheeses including Yorkshire Wensleydale, manufactured, blended, marketed and distributed by the acquired Wensleydale Creamery business.
• Nutritional Ingredients (Demineralised Whey and Galacto-Oligosaccharides) Specialized dairy ingredients including demineralised whey, sweet whey powder, and prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides produced for global infant formula manufacturers. BRCGS-certified production at the Davidstow facility.
• Cathedral City Plant Based Dairy-free alternative to Cathedral City cheddar, offering a mature cheddar flavour for vegan and flexitarian consumers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cathedral City found in more than 50% of UK households
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TerraCycleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with TerraCycle for Cathedral City Cheese Packaging Recycling Programme launched in 2020, enabling consumers to recycle cheese packaging and raise money for charitable causes
• Harper Adams UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation partnership providing access to university research while Saputo offers work placements to students
• Chester ZoominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Chester Zoo to fund the Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Programme in Borneo, Indonesia to promote sustainable palm oil and protect critically endangered Bornean orangutans
• Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)coreOthersWorking member of RSPO supporting production and uptake of sustainable palm. All palm oil used is certified sustainable and production facilities are fully certified against RSPO standards
• Round Table on Responsible Soy Association (RTRS)coreOthersMember of RTRS developing solutions for responsible production and sourcing of soy in dairy supply chain through animal feed. Davidstow Farm Standards mandate sustainable soy sourcing from 2022
• Adventure Lane CICminorOthersCommunity support for Adventure Lane indoor family entertainment centre on Isle of Bute as part of £3 million community promise commitment
• Rothesay Joint CampusminorOthers£225,000 donated to fund outdoor classroom and school garden including greenhouse installation for children to learn food growing
• Active SurreyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Active Surrey to fund The Big Cook Up program teaching children and parents how to cook nutritious meals
• The Royal Countryside FundcoreOthersLong-term supporters of The Royal Countryside Fund which exists to improve prospects of family farm businesses and quality of rural life

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Müller: One of the largest UK dairy processors, directly competing with Saputo Dairy UK across milk, butter, spreads, and yogurts, and the buyer of Dairy Crest's former Dairies business in 2015.
• Arla Foods: Farmer-owned European dairy cooperative with major UK presence in cheese, butter, and spreads (including the LactoFREE brand). Closest direct peer to Saputo Dairy UK's branded portfolio and retail channels.
• Bel Group: Specialist branded cheese manufacturer (The Laughing Cow, Babybel, Boursin) competing with Saputo Dairy UK's Cathedral City in UK grocery cheese aisles, particularly in snacking and portioned formats.
• Kerrygold (Ornua): Irish dairy cooperative marketing premium butter and cheese globally. Direct competitor to Country Life butter and Cathedral City in UK and international grocery channels.
• Yeo Valley: UK organic dairy brand with established presence in yogurt, butter, and cheese across Tesco, Sainsbury's and other major retailers, competing on premium British dairy positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Lactalis: Global dairy giant with strong UK cheese positions (including Président). Competes with Saputo Dairy UK across cheddar and continental cheese categories via major UK retailers.
• Danone: Global dairy and plant-based major (Alpro, Actimel) competing with Saputo Dairy UK in UK spreads, yogurts, and increasingly plant-based categories.
• FrieslandCampina: Dutch dairy cooperative with significant UK presence in cheese, butter, and dairy ingredients. Competes with Saputo Dairy UK both in branded UK retail and in B2B dairy ingredients for infant formula.
• Glanbia: Global nutrition and dairy ingredients group with overlap to Saputo Dairy UK's Nutritional Ingredients business (whey, GOS) supplying global infant formula and performance nutrition markets.

Regional players

• First Milk: UK dairy farmer-owned cooperative manufacturing cheese, butter, and milk powder. A more regionally focused UK dairy peer supplying major retailers and ingredients customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Saputo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saputo
• Instagraminstagram.com/saputo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Saputo Dairy UK