Farmer-owned milk co-op Dairy Farmers of Britain has appointed Andrew Cooksey as MD of its cheese and speciality division.
The appointment follows DFB’s £75m acquisition of Associated Co-operative Creameries in August.
Cooksey’s division includes the Llandyrnog plant, which DFB claims manufactures 10% of the UK’s Cheddar production, and also Somerset Brie, Somerset Camembert and Capricorn goat’s cheese.
He will also be responsible for managing and executing the DFB brand and product development strategy across the group.
Cooksey was previously an MD at Samworth Brothers and has been in the food industry for 21 years.
From 1994 to 2003 he was trading director and then group MD of Humber VHB, formerly Hazlewood Foods. Prior to that, he was responsible for the Marks and Spencer account at Bowyers and Eden Vale.