THE Wellington-based Somerdale International cheese factory has reported continued strong growth and development over the 2020-21 financial year.

Global sales had increased by nine per cent in the year up to March 31, 2021, while record sales were achieved in the US.

Somerdale International is a leading UK exporter of British cheese & dairy products. Now in its 32nd year of operation, Somerdale exports British cheese to over 50 countries worldwide.

A company spokesman said: "We are the leading exporter of cheese to the USA with shipments leaving for New York every week.

"While we’ve also grown in key markets such as China and the Far East, Europe, the Caribbean, & Australia and in emerging markets including the Middle East and North Africa and South East Asia."

The spokesman added: "The results demonstrate that during the year Somerdale continued to perform strongly at a financial, commercial and operational level despite the unprecedented challenges of Covid-19, the UK’s leaving of the European Union and the impact, for nearly all of the year, of retaliatory tariffs imposed on British cheese entering the US market.

"At the same time we also continued to invest in reinforcing our operational capabilities, growing our presence in core and emerging markets and developing further our broad, differentiated product portfolio of high quality British cheeses."