Dairy Crest

What Dairy Crest does

Saputo Dairy UK (trading name of Dairy Crest Limited) is a wholly-owned UK subsidiary of Canadian dairy processor Saputo Inc. and one of the UK's largest manufacturers of branded cheese and dairy spreads. Its core business is the production and sale of market-leading consumer dairy brands — including Cathedral City cheddar (the UK's #1 cheese brand, £300M+ in retail sales, present in over 50% of UK households), Clover (the UK's #1 dairy spread, 58M packs/year), Country Life butter, Frylight cooking spray, Davidstow cheddar, Utterly Butterly, Willow, Vitalite (plant-based), Sheese, and Wensleydale — sold primarily through UK grocery multiples and discounters and increasingly exported through Saputo's North American distribution network (500+ stores in Canada, 2,000+ in the US).

The company operates four manufacturing sites: the Davidstow creamery in Cornwall (cheese production, sourcing from ~330 local farms, winner of the DuPont Danisco Grand Prix Cup 14 times in 18 years), Nuneaton (National Distribution Centre with cutting, packing and maturation), Kirkby (butter, spreads and oils), and Wrexham (plant-based dairy alternatives via acquired subsidiary Bute Island Foods). All sites are BRCGS-certified for food safety. A secondary B2B vertical produces demineralised whey and galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) for the global infant-formula market, although Saputo reverted to commodity sweet whey powder production at Davidstow in 2025 in response to changing market dynamics. Revenue is generated through consumer-product sales via grocery retail, B2B ingredients supply, and international brand export/licensing; no direct revenue figure is publicly disclosed for the UK division.

Name

Dairy Crest

Legal name

Dairy Crest Limited

Website

https://dairycrest.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1933

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Saputo Dairy UK (Dairy Crest Limited) is a UK subsidiary of Saputo Inc. producing market-leading British dairy brands — including Cathedral City cheddar and Clover spreads — for grocery retail and exporting Cathedral City to North America, with a secondary B2B nutritional-ingredients business serving infant-formula manufacturers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Branded 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

Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dairy Spreads, Dips & Cream Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAL), Dairy Ingredients (Whey, Lactose, Milk Powders) Wholesale (AFAIAEAG)

Keywords

• Branded dairy products
• Cheddar cheese manufacturing
• Dairy spreads and butter
• Infant formula ingredients
• Plant-based dairy alternatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Esher

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Branded Consumer Food Products: Sale of market-leading British food brands including Cathedral City cheese, Clover spreads, Country Life butter, Frylight cooking spray, Utterly Butterly, Vitalite dairy-free, Sheese, Willow, and Wensleydale cheese to retail consumers through major grocery chains and independent retailers in the UK and internationally.
2. Nutritional Ingredients for Infant Formula: Production and sale of demineralised whey powder and prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) as value-added ingredients for the global infant formula market, manufactured at Davidstow creamery.
3. International Brand Licensing / Export: Export of Cathedral City branded cheese to international markets including Canada and the US, with bespoke packaging designed for each market. Cathedral City is sold in over 500 stores in Canada and over 2,000 stores in the US.
4. Private Label Manufacturing: Production of dairy products under retailer private label brands alongside its own branded portfolio, implied by the company's scale and manufacturing capabilities.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Saputo Dairy UK (trading as Dairy Crest Limited) manufactures and sells market-leading British dairy consumer food brands including Cathedral City cheddar cheese, Clover spreads, Country Life butter, Frylight cooking spray, Utterly Butterly, and plant-based alternatives (Vitalite, Sheese). The company also produces value-added dairy ingredients—demineralised whey and prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides—for the global infant formula market at its Davidstow creamery.

Product overview

Saputo Dairy UK (trading as Dairy Crest) is a producer of leading British food brands and dairy ingredients. The portfolio centres on market-leading consumer brands including Cathedral City (cheddar cheese, UK's most popular), Clover (the UK's #1 dairy spread), Country Life (award-winning British butter), Davidstow (premium cheddar from Cornwall), Frylight (one-calorie cooking spray), Sheese (dairy-free cheese alternatives from Bute Island Foods), Utterly Butterly (value dairy spread), Vitalite (vegan-certified spreads), Wensleydale (specialty regional cheeses from Wensleydale Creamery), and Willow (value butter alternative). The company also manufactures specialized dairy ingredients for the global infant formula market, including demineralised whey and prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides at its Davidstow facility. The portfolio includes sub-variants across spreads (Clover Original/Light, Utterly Butterly/Utterly Butterly Lightly) and butters (Country Life Salted/Unsalted/Spreadable), as well as newer innovations like Cathedral City Plant Based dairy-free cheese and Air Fryer Oil Spray.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cathedral City: UK's favourite cheese brand, award-winning cheddar made from 100% British milk from the West Country. Valued at over £300 million in retail sales.
• Clover
• Country Life
• Davidstow
• Frylight
• Sheese
• Utterly Butterly
• Vitalite
• Wensleydale
• Willow

Products and services

• Cathedral City The UK's favourite cheddar cheese brand, made from 100% British milk from the West Country. Valued at over £300 million in retail sales and found in more than half of all UK households.
• Clover The UK's number one dairy spread brand with a buttery taste, no artificial ingredients, and half the saturated fat of butter. Sells 58 million packs annually in the UK.
• Country Life Award-winning British butter made with 100% British countryside milk and Red Tractor assured. Includes Salted Butter, Unsalted Butter, and Spreadable variants.
• Davidstow Award-winning cheddar cheese manufactured at the multi-award-winning Davidstow creamery in Cornwall using milk from around 330 local farms. The creamery has won the DuPont Danisco Grand Prix Cup 14 times in the last 18 years.
• Frylight The original one-calorie cooking spray for spreading, sizzling and cooking. Includes Air Fryer Oil Spray variant for high temperature cooking in air fryers.
• Sheese Dairy alternative cheese products manufactured by Bute Island Foods, producing vegan-certified, dairy-free products for vegan and flexitarian consumers.
• Utterly Butterly Dairy spread with an utterly creamy taste featuring 75% less saturated fat than butter and no hydrogenated fats. Includes Utterly Butterly Lightly variant.
• Vitalite Vegan-certified, dairy-free spread brand perfect for flexitarians and vegan lifestyles, produced under the plant-based deliciousness portfolio.
• Wensleydale Specialty and regional cheeses including Yorkshire Wensleydale cheese, manufactured, blended, marketed and distributed by Wensleydale Creamery.
• Willow Great value butter alternative established in 1987, versatile enough for spreading, cooking and baking. Suitable for vegetarians.
• Cathedral City Plant Based Dairy-free alternative to cheddar cheese crafted to deliver mature cheddar flavour, launched in 2022 as part of the company's plant-based portfolio.
• Air Fryer Oil Spray Pure oil spray specifically formulated for high temperature cooking in air fryers, as well as frying, grilling and roasting.
• Specialized Ingredients for Infant Formula Dairy ingredients including demineralised whey and prebiotic galacto-oligosaccharides produced for the global infant formula market, manufactured at the Davidstow creamery.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cathedral City achieves £300M+ in UK retail sales, found in 50%+ of UK households
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 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

13 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Adventure Lane Community Interest Company (CIC)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2025Saputo delivered on its £3 million (CDN$5 million) community promise to the Isle of Bute by supporting the development of Adventure Lane — an indoor family entertainment centre led by a community CIC. Saputo's funding helps the project transform from concept to reality for Isle of Bute residents.
• Rothesay Joint CampusminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Saputo donated £225,000 to Rothesay Joint Campus on the Isle of Bute to fund an outdoor classroom and school garden, including installation of a new greenhouse, to help children learn how food is grown.
• OlenexcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Olenex is Saputo's palm oil supplier, working together to build sustainable practices and transparency throughout the supply chain. Olenex has guiding principles of no deforestation, no new development on peat, and no exploitation of people and communities. Together they sponsor Project Maraposa supporting smallholder farmers in Honduras towards RSPO certification.
• Save-on-FoodscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 August 2020Save-on-Foods, a major Canadian grocery chain, was the primary launch partner for Cathedral City cheese in Canada in August 2020. Cathedral City was initially on sale in over 500 Save-on-Foods stores, with plans to expand to Loblaw-owned stores.
• Loblaw (Loblaws, Zehrs)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 August 2020Loblaw-owned chains including Loblaws and Zehrs were confirmed as subsequent retail partners for Cathedral City cheese in Canada, following the initial launch at Save-on-Foods.
• TerraCycleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Partnered with TerraCycle to launch the Cathedral City Cheese Packaging Recycling Programme in 2020 — the first programme enabling consumers to recycle cheese packaging, diverting waste from landfill and raising money for charitable causes.
• Chester ZoominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Saputo partnered with Chester Zoo to fund the Kinabatangan Orangutan Conservation Programme in Borneo, Indonesia, protecting critically endangered Bornean orangutans and promoting awareness of sustainable palm oil use. Chester Zoo works with RSPO and other organisations to transform the palm oil industry.
• Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Saputo Dairy UK is a working member of the RSPO, supporting the production and uptake of sustainable palm oil. All palm oil used in spreads products is RSPO-certified sustainable and the spreads production facility is fully certified against RSPO Principles and Criteria.
• Round Table on Responsible Soy Association (RTRS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Saputo Dairy UK is a member of RTRS and signatory of the Cerrado Manifesto. The company purchases RTRS soy credits and requires Davidstow-supplying farms to source feed from suppliers certified by RTRS or equivalent third-party certification to confirm sustainable soy sourcing.
• Active SurreyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Saputo partners with Active Surrey to fund The Big Cook Up — a programme teaching children and parents how to cook nutritious and delicious meals, aligning with Saputo's community investment focus on physical activity and proper nutrition.
• Harper Adams UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Innovation partnership with agricultural university Harper Adams provides Saputo access to research while offering work placements to students. The partnership supports product and process innovation across the business.
• The Royal Countryside FundminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2019Saputo is a long-term supporter of The Royal Countryside Fund which exists to improve the prospects of family farm businesses and the quality of rural life across the UK.
• Davidstow Creamery Direct (DCD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019DCD is the independent representative body for Saputo Dairy UK's Davidstow-supplying farmers. DCD elected representatives work with Saputo on developing farm standards and initiatives to support sustainable milk supply and a viable future for farmers.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bel Group: Bel Group is a French global cheese company (The Laughing Cow, Babybel, Leerdammer). Its branded cheese focus and European heritage make it a broad incumbent comparable to Saputo Dairy UK's cheese business and international expansion strategy.
• Lactalis UK: Lactalis is the world's largest dairy company and operates in the UK through brands including Président, Galbani, and Seriously. It is a broad incumbent in UK cheese and spreads with overlapping capabilities to Saputo Dairy UK's portfolio.
• FrieslandCampina: FrieslandCampina is a global dairy cooperative with UK presence in cheese, butter, and dairy-based ingredients. Its branded cheese and ingredient businesses make it a broad incumbent comparable to Saputo Dairy UK's branded and B2B operations.

Emerging players

• Wyke Farms: Wyke Farms is a UK family-owned cheddar and cheese producer with strong sustainability credentials. It competes directly with Cathedral City in British cheddar at retail and foodservice.
• Yeo Valley: Yeo Valley is a UK organic dairy brand with strong cheese, butter, and yoghurt positions. It competes with Saputo Dairy UK in the British branded cheese and butter space, with a particular organic and provenance-led positioning.
• Barber's: Barber's is a UK family-owned cheese maker specialising in cheddar and regional cheeses, supplying both branded and private label. It is an emerging UK cheese peer, particularly in private label and foodservice channels.

Direct peers

• Müller Milk & Ingredients: Müller is a major UK dairy processor that acquired Dairy Crest's Dairies business (including milk&more) in 2015. It produces branded dairy products including Müller Corner, Müllerlight, and Skyr, and is a direct competitor in UK dairy retail.
• Arla Foods: Arla Foods is the largest dairy cooperative in the UK and one of the largest dairy producers globally, with a broad portfolio of branded cheese, butter, spreads, and milk. It is the most direct UK-headquartered competitor to Saputo Dairy UK's branded cheese and spreads portfolio.
• First Milk: First Milk is a UK dairy farmer-owned cooperative producing cheese and dairy ingredients. Its farmer-owned structure and cheese focus make it a direct UK peer to Saputo Dairy UK's farm-to-creamery model.

Regional players

• Kerrygold / Ornua: Ornua is the Irish dairy cooperative that owns the Kerrygold brand. It is a regional peer competing in UK butter and cheese with strong grass-fed Irish provenance positioning, overlapping with Cathedral City and Country Life.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCwNGrULhI5rLg2x6eC8rQYA
• Facebookfacebook.com/SaputoDairyUK
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dairy-crest
• Instagraminstagram.com/saputodairyuk

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A6 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Dairy Crest