Dairy Farmers of Britain (DFB) has announced plans to ‘streamline’ its business with the closure of two dairies and 640 job cuts.

The proposed restructuring will involve closure of the company’s Fole dairy in Staffordshire and Portsmouth dairy in Hampshire – two sites that DFB says are “not delivering acceptable returns”.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more

In a bid to provide a more “cost effective management structure”, the company said it proposes the rationalisation of its Portsmouth, Cheshunt, Leeds and Lincoln distribution depots.

The reduction in workforce will take place at the company’s offices in Nantwich and Blaydon.

Andrew Cooksey, chief executive officer said: “Dairy Farmers of Britain’s overall business performance has been hampered by continuing to operate with the current structure. This difficult but decisive action safeguards the business moving forward and is therefore in the best interests of our wider business, our members and our employees.”

DFB said that despite investment in the business, the company has not delivered acceptable returns within its liquid milk division.

GlobalData Strategic Intelligence

US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?

Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.

By GlobalData

“We recognise that this announcement impacts upon our employees at a difficult time and we will be working closely with employees, their representatives and local employment agencies to secure alternative employment for as many members of staff as possible,” the company said in a statement.

Just Food Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Food Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Winning five categories in the 2025 Just Food Excellence Awards, Centric Software is setting the pace for digital transformation in food and FMCG. Explore how its integrated PLM and PXM suite delivers faster launches, smarter compliance and data-driven growth for complex, multi-channel product portfolios.

Discover the Impact