Somerdale International, based at Chelston, achieved record sales in North America last year and has been seeking to grow them this week at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Francisco.

The company’s sales in the USA and Canada have passed the £15 million barrier, with revenues up more than 35 per cent in the last five years. 

Somerdale has reinforced its position as the leading British speciality cheese exporter to North America with a record 1,500 tonnes-plus of cheese sold in the last 12 months through 3,000 retail and food service outlets across the USA and Canada. 

The sales figures come at a time when the firm is focused on growing further its presence in the USA with a range of new products and best sellers being showcased at the Winter Fancy Food Show set to finish yesterday

(Tuesday). 

Somerdale’s sales now represent about 17.5 per cent of all UK cheese exports to the USA with about half being under the Somerdale brand.

Director Alan Jenkins said: “The US Speciality Cheese category is now worth $4 billion, having grown 6.6 per cent between 2015-17.  However, for every 1kg of British cheese sold in the US, 10.82kg of French cheese is sold.

“Given that British cheese is second to none when it comes to choice, flavour and provenance, I believe there is a huge potential to grow sales of British cheese moving forward.”