28.06.05
Rodda's Builds on Over One Hundred Years of Success

Nicolas Rodda, Sales Director (left) and Andrew Rodda, Project Director

For one local firm it's a case of the cat that got the cream - again! The UK's leading clotted cream producer Rodda's has just begun on a major investment and expansion project thanks to Objective One. The multi million pound expansion to Rodda's Creamery will more than double production capacity and create 10 more jobs.

Known as Project Cream Tea, the expansion is the largest investment programme in the company's long history and has the potential to dramatically increase the demand for milk from Cornwall's farmers.

The Rodda's name is known worldwide and the family has been making delicious clotted cream on the same site at Scorrier since 1890. It has been enjoyed by the Royal family as well as at top sporting events such as Ascot, Henley and currently is being enjoyed with Wimbledon's famous strawberries.

Rodda's Cornish Clotted Cream renowned world-wide for its characteristic golden crust and cool silky taste was once described by former Prime Minister, Lord Gladstone, as "the food of the gods" and the Royal Mail ensured Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother received a weekly supply of the perfect ingredient for tea.

The company also produces a range of other products, including butter, liquid cream, crème fraiche and skimmed milk, and now wants to diversify further into other dairy products by building on the famous Rodda brand.

Director Nicholas Rodda, great great grandson of the founder, said: "This is a major expansion for Rodda's and will allow us to increase capacity, develop new products and explore new markets. The new facility will bring additional stability to the company whilst producing new jobs for the community. The increased capacity will give us an unparalleled opportunity to promote our locally produced products, not only to the rest of the UK but also internationally.

"A lot of thought and research has gone into expanding the company while ensuring that it remains true to its Cornish roots. We see this as a chance to give something back to the community, supporting local farmers securing the jobs of around 60 employees and the new development expect to create a further 10 full time equivalent jobs."

In the 1920's Nicholas's grandfather Willie, at the age of 18, was sent to London with the message 'I have got a piece of Cornwall here and want to share it with you, would you like to try some?' This unusual selling technique won him contracts with places like Harrods and Fortnum and Masons providing the first wave of expansion outside Cornwall.

Rodda's only use Cornish milk collected from local farms milking about 4000 cows. The potential increase in production capacity could lead to the milk from a further 3000 cows being required for Cornish cream production, which would be an enormous boost to Cornwall's dairy sector.

Investment for the development includes just under £1.4 million from the Objective One European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund (EAGGF), and a matching amount from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Carleen Kelemen, Director of the Objective One Partnership, said: "Roddas is a successful and well known family business that has traded over generations. Adding value to primary agricultural produce within Cornwall is a key part of the agricultural strategy for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. This investment will help the company to expand dramatically by adding value to current products and maximising the business success of a distinctive Cornish product."

Roger Metcalf, dairy sector co-coordinator with the Cornwall Agricultural Council Development Team, worked with Rodda's on securing Objective One investment for the expansion. He said: "Rodda's is a household name with a superb high quality product. By increasing capacity and diversifying further the company will not only help underpin Cornwall's dairy sector and the local agricultural economy, but will also promote Cornish distinctiveness to a much wider audience at home and abroad."

Work on the expansion, which will include a new warehouse, product research area, plant and equipment and a new access road is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

The state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly facility is being built by Westcountry-based Midas Construction and will exceed the very latest hygiene and health standards expected by all of Rodda's customers, whether it is a cream tea shop, supermarket or international airline.

With the help of Cornwall County Council, Rodda's led the campaign to protect the distinctiveness of Cornish Clotted Cream and in 1999 it was recognised by the European Union with Protected Designation of Origin Status. This means Cornish Clotted Cream can now only be made in Cornwall using Cornish milk.

Building on their success to date, the whole investment programme will be completed in three years time and will bring improved efficiency, opportunities for growth and together with the introduction of a range of innovative new dairy products, will make Rodda's the most recognised national and international brand of Cornish clotted cream.

For further information please contact the Objective One Communications Team:
Tel: 01872 223439
Mob: 07973 813647
Email: cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

Nicholas Rodda
Tel: 01209 823307

Editor's notes:

Objective One funding was set up to help reduce differences in social and economic conditions within the European Union.

A PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) covers the term used to describe foodstuffs which are produced, processed and prepared in a given geographical area using recognised know-how. They are awarded by the European Union.

Clare Morgan
Media Relations Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Mobile: 07973 813647
Telephone: 01872 223439

cmorgan@cornwall.gov.uk

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