The day began with a presentation covering First Milk's history, its farmer-owned cooperative model, and its plans for the future. A clear highlight was learning about the significant investment made at the site, more than £15 million over the past four years, which has expanded annual capacity to around 40,000 tonnes of cheese while delivering meaningful improvements in operational efficiency.

First Milk is one of the UK's leading producers of British cheddar, with cheese produced across its Lake District and Haverfordwest creameries. Their products are recognised at the highest levels of the industry, with accolades including the Supreme Champion title at the Global Cheese Awards, a reflection of the quality of their members' milk and the expertise of their teams.

The team also learned about the creamery's "cheddar tower", a unique feature believed to be exclusive to the Haverfordwest site, which speaks to the creamery's commitment to innovation and modern processing.

Operations Manager Shaun then led the group on a guided tour of the facility, walking through each stage of production from milk intake through to cheesemaking and maturation. His knowledge and enthusiasm gave the team a thorough and engaging insight into the process.

The visit concluded with a tasting session - a fitting end to an informative day.

Gina Sarracini Davies, Senior Food Technologist at Food Centre Wales, said: "It was a fantastic opportunity for the team to see first-hand the scale and innovation behind a leading dairy operation. Visits like this are invaluable in helping us build our knowledge and understanding of the sector, so we can better support the food and drink businesses we work with."

Industry visits like this play an important role in keeping the Food Centre Wales team connected to the wider sector - building knowledge, strengthening relationships and ensuring we're best placed to support Welsh food and drink businesses. Thank you to First Milk and the Haverfordwest Creamery team for their warm welcome and for sharing their expertise.