Finance recruitment opportunities at First Milk…
First Milk is a wholly British farmer-owned dairy co-operative. We produce award-winning cheddar, regional cheeses and dairy ingredients, and market fresh milk through collaborative milk sourcing and supply chain management services.
First Milk have creameries on the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland, in the English Lake District and at the idyllic South West tip of Wales. The business produces a fantastic range of great-tasting Cheddar, Red Leicester and Double Gloucester, that are all made with fresh milk and packed full of flavour. The majority of their cheese is sold as high-quality block cheddar through their partner, Ornua.
Following significant change in recent times, the business was able to report another year of solid progress, for the year ending March 2019. First Milk has a clear strategy in place to grow its cheese business and develop its fresh milk business, that provides milk sourcing services through long-term customer partnerships and growing sales volumes.
Key First Milk 2019 stats:
- £272.3m turnover (up 7.8% from the previous year)
- Operating profit £7.2m
- £4.4m spent on capital investment across various sites
- 800 members
- Exporting cheese to more than 21 countries
And this is your chance to join the them in Glasgow!
Check our current opportunities listed below…
First Milk is a wholly British farmer-owned dairy co-operative. The business produces award-winning cheddar, regional cheeses and dairy ingredients, and market fresh milk through collaborative milk sourcing and supply chain management services.
Following significant change in recent times, the business was able to report another year of solid progress, for the year ending March 2019. First Milk has a clear strategy in place to grow its cheese business and develop its fresh milk business, that provides milk sourcing services through long-term customer partnerships and growing sales volumes.
First Milk’s biggest cheese customer is Oruna, which supplies more than 40% of the hard cheese sold in British retailers and the largest buyer of cheese in the UK. First Milk has played a pivotal role in strengthening Ornua’s relationship with Sainsbury and helping securing new business.
First Milk has a key strategic partnership with Nestle, one of the world’s largest food and beverage companies. The business has been working with them for more than 13 years and is their largest UK supplier.
To learn more about First Milk visit them online at: http://www.firstmilk.co.uk/
We have launched their new responsible sourcing programme- First4Milk. Through our First4Milk activity we are committed to playing our part in producing healthy,nutritious and safe food, whilst preserving and enhancing the environment and protecting the people and animals involved in our supply chain for the long term.
Our First4Milk activity can be broken down into three key themes, under which we have set ambitious targets to ensure we make continuous improvement:
PEOPLE – building social capital
Our co-operative structure and values are all about building social capital by creating a sense of belonging so that we achieve more together. This includes:
- Next Generation programme – 20% of member businesses involved
- Actively promote consumer engagement(e.g. Open Farm Sunday, school visits)
- Staff training and development
- Community activity and fundraising
- Health and safety
- Ethical treatment of people
- Delivering a sustainable future for members
ANIMALS – a life worth living
Cows are at the beginning of our supply chain and their health and wellbeing is key to our success. Healthy cows live longer and require fewer resources to produce milk. We believe our cows deserve a life worth living, and our initiatives in this area include:
- Animal health and welfare plans
- Launch of an automated health and welfare index by end of 2020
- Johne’s disease control plan – 100% of farmers by 2020
- Antibiotic stewardship – usage below RUMA target by 2020
- Annual farm business reviews
EARTH – protecting the planet
We only have one planet, and we all share the responsibility for protecting and enhancing the environment we live and work in, whilst reducing the use of natural resources. Our initiatives in this area include:
- Targeting annual 3% relative reduction in energy and water use at processing sites (65% relative reduction in CO2e, 40% relative reduction in energy, 30% relative reduction in water use by 2025 against 2008 baseline)
- Protecting watercourses by offsetting factory nitrate, phosphate and sediment production by 2022 and achieving a 40% relative reduction in food waste by 2025 (vs 2008)
- Eliminating direct waste to landfill
- Enhancing the natural habitat
- Taking a key role in developing Landscape Enterprise Networks
We began this programme last year and are committed to driving change and being a positive force for good in the dairy supply chain. We will report on First4Milk progress as part of our annual reporting cycle moving forward.
Current opportunities at First Milk…
Recent First Milk Assignments...
One of a kind.
Connect with us on LinkedIn...
Connect with Rutherford Cross on LinkedIn to keep up to date with all our news, views and opportunities.
Together we achieve more.
Contact our finance recruitment experts
We’d be delighted to provide further information. Get in touch with our team to find out how we can help you.
Latest from the blog
Rutherford Cross Retained by KESTIN to Appoint a Commercial Finance Manager
The Commercial Finance Manager will be joining the business at an incredibly exciting and important time, assuming responsibility for the financial function. From overseeing day-to-day financial operations to providing invaluable insights to the leadership team, the role is instrumental in driving strategic decision-making. Reporting directly to the managing director, the position demands a professionally qualified accountant with keen commercial acumen, self-motivation, and a robust background in budgeting, forecasting, financial planning and collaborating with non-financial stakeholders.
Future Finance Leaders Network Event in Partnership with RSM
Rutherford Cross’ Will Dodds looks back on a successful night at the latest instalment of the ‘Future Finance Leaders Network’ event series, which was held in partnership with RSM.
Livingston James Group’s CEO Discusses First Year of Employee Ownership
Great article discussing our first year of Employee Ownership in The Herald!
Rutherford Cross Retained by KESTIN to Appoint a Commercial Finance Manager
The Commercial Finance Manager will be joining the business at an incredibly exciting and important time, assuming responsibility for the financial function. From overseeing day-to-day financial operations to providing invaluable insights to the leadership team, the role is instrumental in driving strategic decision-making. Reporting directly to the managing director, the position demands a professionally qualified accountant with keen commercial acumen, self-motivation, and a robust background in budgeting, forecasting, financial planning and collaborating with non-financial stakeholders.
Future Finance Leaders Network Event in Partnership with RSM
Rutherford Cross’ Will Dodds looks back on a successful night at the latest instalment of the ‘Future Finance Leaders Network’ event series, which was held in partnership with RSM.
Livingston James Group’s CEO Discusses First Year of Employee Ownership
Great article discussing our first year of Employee Ownership in The Herald!
Livingston James Group’s CEO Discusses First Year of Employee Ownership