NCC Application

The Objective

 To double the production capacity of
one of the North East’s speciality artisan
makers.

 To deliver modernisation and increased
production output, greater consumer food
safety, supply rising demand in some of the
UK’s top retailers and food service
distributors, as well as export customers.

 To utilise the whole of the milk output of
the Blagdon estate, and other local
producers, extend product choice and
innovation, create employment and
investment opportunity.

The Challenge

 The milk heating process invested in at
the outset in 1984, is a laborious princess
taking almost three and a half hours,
restricting the time to produce product.

 The investment to modernise is
substantial for a small business and a high
hurdle that has been avoided for some
years past. The opportunity to secure a
grant would be a key critical moment to
take that step.

The Needs

 To invest in a modern automated
pasteurisation system which heats the milk
in less than 20 seconds speeding up the
process, providing a monitored secure
system of food security, complete with
larger milk vats, and allied equipment.

The Outcome

 A realistic estimate is that an additional
60-65 tonnes per year (single shift) will be
made with a sale value circa £450,000.

 It will realise the opportunity to complete
the development of new exciting
products, as well as extend the spreading
fame of the Northumberland brand
range.

The Target Market

 The challenge here is supply, not demand.
NCC already enjoys listings in Waitrose, and
Sainsbury, and is struggling to agree supply to
Tesco in Spring 2019, having deferred the
opportunity to be listed in Autumn this year,
due to capacity constraints.

 In food service Northumberland with nettles
was chosen by the chefs of Emirates to fly on
their UK business and first class menu, but is
currently only on flights out of Newcastle
airport, again due to supply limitation.

The Target Market (Cont’d)

 There is a close association with local
speciality shops, wholesalers and farm
shops and these are protected with sizes,
brands and types not seen elsewhere .

 The business has no immediate direct
competitors and occupies an area of
speciality regional British cheese types and
enjoys unusually good access to market that
many rivals do not.

 There has been a steady growth of
authentic British regional cheese which may
be further accelerated by Brexit. But that
apart, the brand is being readily accepted in
and sought in many sectors, and the
present limitation is largely around capacity
and delivering efficiency of production.

A Key To The Future

 The doubling of the capacity will bring
increased employment and greater security
for the current staff at NCC, and with the
door to future growth open with a second
shift or weekend working the enormous
potential modern pasteurisation brings could
see a cheese business approaching £1.5m.

 Leading to innovation opportunities such as
cheese curd now wanted in 234 Waitrose store.

The Added Value

 Everything here is predicated on the
core business of cheese making but
NCC has a substantial catering and
entertainment potential, building on a
successful local base this should grow
substantially.

 We have every certainty that tourist visitors
and locals alike will seek to find this venue,
and see it as a destination to visit, which
supported by a growing online business,
will add to both permanent and part time
employment as well as propel the
Northumberland name and brand to
national and even International recognition.