A North East cheese manufacturer is reaping the rewards of significant investment in its production capabilities, posting strong growth in both turnover and profit.
Financial Growth Driven by Investment and Innovation
Prima Cheese, the County Durham-based family business, has reported a successful financial year for the 52 weeks ending March 2025. The company, which specialises in shredded cheese for restaurants and takeaways, saw its turnover grow by 5% to reach £108.9 million. Operating profit saw an even stronger increase, rising by 7% to £5.6 million.
Company leaders attribute this positive performance to a dual strategy of internal investment and a refined customer mix. The firm has been channelling multi-million pound investments into its North East factory, where it produces approximately 600 tonnes of cheese every week for distribution to 50 countries. It is estimated that around six million pizzas in the UK are topped with Prima cheese weekly.
A Year of Strategic Change and Brand Evolution
Co-CEO Nima Beni, who runs the business with his sister Nagma Ebanks-Beni, described the period as one of "change and innovation." The siblings are the children of the company's founders.
"Continued modification and investment in the state-of-the-art production lines has been instrumental to achieving further flexibility, customer satisfaction and increased efficiencies," Mr Beni stated. He emphasised that ongoing investment in IT systems, plant machinery, personnel, and a new fleet of trucks and trailers was crucial for meeting the company's mid to long-term strategic goals.
This forward-looking approach extends to research and development, with directors confident that innovation will make the company more efficient and versatile, allowing it to offer a greater product range to both existing and new markets.
Expanding Reach: From London Office to Global Markets
Prima Cheese's growth strategy has also focused on expanding its commercial footprint. The company continued to invest in its London office throughout 2025, a hub established in 2024 to drive commercial and marketing activity and better exploit international opportunities.
A major component of its outward-facing strategy was a comprehensive rebranding effort launched in the summer of 2025. The new brand reflects Prima's evolution from a leading UK pizza cheese processor to a major supplier for the international foodservice, food manufacturing, and export sectors. The rebrand clearly demarcates its product range—including grated, shredded, cubed, and diced cheese—and has been rolled out across its delivery fleet. The company has creatively rewrapped its trucks with playful slogans, turning them into "moving billboards" designed to stand out on UK roads.
Despite its global ambitions, the UK remains Prima's core market. Accounts show £83.8 million of turnover was derived domestically, compared to £3.1 million from Europe and £21.9 million from the rest of the world.
Looking ahead, company directors sounded a note of caution, warning of continued price volatility due to rising energy costs and uncertainty stemming from the war in Ukraine. Nevertheless, the family firm's latest results demonstrate a resilient and ambitious business successfully navigating a challenging economic landscape.
