UK’s largest cheese processing company invests in new multi-million-pound facility

Extons Foods, one of the UK’s largest independent cheese processing companies which supplies grated, block and continental cheeses to sandwich manufacturers, wholesalers, food service providers and retailers across Europe, has announced it’s investing in a new unit, set to be fully operational by 2024.

The new unit, which is adjacent to their current site in Wythenshawe, includes a secondary grating line, committed to retail and servicing retail clients. This new grating line will reduce changeovers and will open opportunities to supply retail directly. This new grating line is expected to be fully functional by September 2024.

The unit also provides an additional 250 pallet spaces and includes a planned extension of warehouse, packing room and production lines to ensure a safer and better working environment for Extons staff.

The business currently has four production lines and is one of the UK’s largest independent suppliers of sliced and grated cheese. With 23 years of experience under their belts, Extons processes 450 tonnes of cheese a week, employs 150 staff and is a trusted contract packer for some of the most recognisable names in dairy from across the UK.

Originally founded in 2000 by Liz Parkinson, Extons was a small loss-making business which supplied local sandwich shops with grated cheese. Now, in 2023, the family business is on course to turnover £100m.

Liz commented: “Despite the uncertainty around Brexit, and the COVID pandemic which saw our sales drop 70 per cent overnight, we’ve bounced back bigger and better than ever before and have seen enormous growth over the last few years.

“This investment into extending our current facility comes at a time when we’re looking to reaffirm our commitment to our customers through modern, world-class, cutting-edge production to serve increased demand from our wide and varied client base.

“Extons is a people-first, caring company with a loyal team, enabling us to have one of the best reputations for service and quality in the industry. We’ve stayed true to our roots and continue to reinvest in the local community, never moving away from South Manchester.

“Our staff are our greatest asset; we want to reward our workforce, and to enable them to offer much-needed employment and provide crucial investment into the local area.”

By Matthew Neville – Senior Correspondent, Bdaily

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