What do overseas buyers really think of UK dairy?

Now that the dust has settled after our UK Dairy Showcase at the end of September, we've been gathering feedback from the wonderful group of international buyers and UK exporters who attended. Below, Lucy Randolph shares some of this feedback.

It’s always nerve-wracking waiting to hear what people think after an event of this scale, but the feedback we’ve received has left me feeling both proud and excited for what’s to come.

Alan Jenkins from Somerdale summed it up perfectly:

"We as an industry couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to showcase the best of British."

That sentiment was echoed by many of the attendees.

Menna McNiven from Snowdonia Cheese told us that the event gave her company the chance to introduce their cheese to 12 highly regarded buyers.

It’s comments like these that reassure me that we achieved our goal of connecting British exporters with serious, informed buyers from around the world.

Even now, a few weeks later, I can still picture the energy that filled every room and farms we visited. International buyers expressed how eye-opening the showcase was, helping them forge stronger connections with UK farmers.

Their feedback reminded me just how important it is for buyers to see first-hand where the products they’ll be importing come from.

Simon Alexander from Lulu in Qatar had an equally glowing review of his experience. He described it as “an amazing visit” to the UK, where he explored the best of British dairy.

His visit offered a true farm-to-fork experience, and he shared that his company will now be exploring bringing British dairy to hypermarkets and supermarkets across the Middle East – an exciting prospect that perfectly captures the global reach of this event.

Simon Roberts from Central Food Retail shared that he's already processing deals with UK suppliers as a result of the event, and that’s exactly the kind of impact we were hoping for.

The idea that these relationships are continuing to grow beyond the event is a huge win.

Gathering this feedback has also shown us areas where we can improve and innovate for the future. We're already planning follow-up missions for next year to some of the markets represented at the event, ensuring these new partnerships continue to flourish.

Looking back, I feel incredibly lucky to have worked with such an amazing team to bring the UK Dairy Showcase to life. And hearing from our attendees just reinforces how powerful an event like this can be – not just in the deals made but in the lasting connections and shared experience.