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Isleport 3 Ready to Roll

John Denbee, Chairman of Sedgmoor District Council gave Yeo Valley Organic a big lift on Tuesday 1st August when he officially opened the company's new £3.5m distribution depot at Isleport, near Highbridge.

Its 40,000 square feet join another two Yeo Valley units on the same site that can store and move a million cases of yogurt, cheese and milk a week.

The ceremony was attended by representatives of the companies which built and equipped the building, together with visitors from the other Yeo Valley sites. Supply Chain Operations Director Richard Jones welcomed everyone to the event and the Chairman of Sedgemoor District Council, John Denbee, then formally opened the site.

Cllr Denbee congratulated the Mead family for having developed such a vibrant Somerset business, and congratulated the Yeo Valley team for having delivered such ongoing success by producing such exceptional products and, finally, congratulated the team that had build the new facility.

He then cut a ribbon across one of the roller doors which opened to reveal a fork lift truck with a giant pot of Yeo Valley Organic on its pallet. After photographs for the local media, the visitors were taken on a tour of the new cold-store where the complexities of the Supply Chain operation were explained.

As well as the formal opening ceremony, there was one other event that took place – the unveiling of the new Yeo Valley Supply Chain logo. Following an internal competition for ideas for a logo, Isleport employee Darren Robinson’s girlfriend Natasha Wynn came up with idea of a daisy chain theme.

Turning this idea into a finished design was another example of Yeo Valley creativity and team work! Axbridge-based Caroline Thornhill, who works in Business Systems Development, turned out to be an ace daisy-chain maker, the grass in front of the Axbridge offices, yielded a plentiful supply of daisies and our top photographer Mark Taylor took the photos. We think the finished result looks pretty good!

Leader of Sedgemoor Council, Duncan McGinty presented Darren and Natasha with a bottle of champagne in recognition of their idea. Natasha was particularly delighted that her design was chosen as she is currently studying for a degree in graphic design and this will make a great part of her portfolio of work.

Demand for the organic products Yeo Valley organic produces at its Cannington, near Bridgwater, dairy, are currently growing at more than 21% year on year and it now produces around 2.5million pots of organic yogurt a week. A second dairy, at Blagdon, supplies millions more to supermarkets the length and breadth of the country.

Yeo Valley's organic milk, which was introduced less than two years ago, is increasing in popularity at an even faster pace, with demand in the last 12 months ahead by 42%, while butter and cheese sales grew by 35% and 85% respectively.

Commented Yeo Valley communications director, Graham Keating: "While many farmers and dairies are going out of business, or are moving production abroad, where wages are lower, demand for our organic food is increasing very strongly, and the increased distribution area is a vital part of our plans to do everything we can to maintain our current progress".

"We are in a very competitive market and while we believe we make the best quality products available it's also essential that we distribute them efficiently, so that they reach shop shelves exactly when our customers expect them".

 

 

 

 

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