Shares in Dairy Crest rose this morning (18 May) after the UK’s largest dairy processor posted higher underlying profits and lower debts for its last financial year.

The maker of Clover butter and Cathedral City cheese booked a 5% rise in adjusted pre-tax profits to GBP83.5m (US$120.8m) for the year to the end of March.

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

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

Find out more

On a reported basis, pre-tax profits were down 25% at GBP77.8m, although last year’s numbers were boosted by the March 2009 sale of Dairy Crest’s stake in a venture with Yoplait.

Revenue dipped 1% to GBP1.63bn as lower dairy ingredients and doorstep milk sales offset “strong growth” in sales of key brands, chief executive Mark Allen said.

During the year, Dairy Crest cut net debt by 19% to GBP337.2m.

Shares in the Frijj milkshakes and Country Life butter maker were up 1.1% at 357.5p at 08:41 BST this morning.

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

For the full earnings statement from Dairy Crest, click here.

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