2025 dairy trade review: Dairy exports record remarkable growth

• Total UK dairy export volume for 2025 increased by 9.1% to 1.35 Mt year-on-year
• Higher volumes across all categories except yogurt
• Dairy exports were worth £2.18 billion, driven by value growth in all products
• Total UK dairy import volume for 2025 grew by 1.9% year-on-year at 1.27 Mt
• Cheese and yogurt continue to dominate the import basket

Total export volume for 2025 was 1.35 Mt, an increase of 113,000 t (9.1%) from 2024. The majority of the increase in exports went to the EU, followed by some non-EU nations.

Growth in volume terms was recorded in all categories except yogurt (which still grew in value terms). However, in value terms all product categories recorded growth.

In non-EU destinations, the biggest increases went to the United Arab Emirates (+5,800 t), Nigeria (+5,600 t), Algeria (+5,500 t), Pakistan (+4,000 t), Egypt (+3,300 t), Morocco (+3,200 t), Indonesia (+2,700 t), New Zealand (+2,500 t), Malaysia (+2,000 t), Bangladesh (+1,800 t) and Saudi Arabia (+1,800 t).

The leading export product to most of these countries was milk powder due to price competitiveness in the global market. However, the increase in exports to New Zealand was in the whey and whey products category.

• Milk and cream grew the most in tonnage, with exports picking up by 49,200 t (6.2%) predominantly to Ireland, China, Spain and France, this was worth £484m, an additional £71m
• Milk powders grew by 42.7% or 43,900 t, equating to a total value £251m for the full year. This was helped by the competitive price positioning of milk powders on the global market and greater product availability due to milk supply growth
• Whey and whey products grew by 10,100 t (16.6%), worth an additional £24m, aided by the strong growth in global demand for dairy proteins driven by health and the increased uptake of GLP-1 drugs. This has seen growth for the second year in a row
• Cheese and curd exports grew by 8,700 t (4.4%) worth £971m in total, an additional £83m (9.3%) capping off another strong year for British cheese exports, which have increased for the last four years consecutively
• Butter exports grew by 6,200 t (14.3%), which represented an increase in value terms of £62m to total £289m

Cheese exports to the EU increased by 3,700 t (2.4%) in 2025 compared to the previous year meaning the total value of British cheese exports rose to £971m, a growth of 9.4%.

Key gains in the EU27 were to Germany by 32% (+2,900 t), Denmark by 25%(+2,000 t), the Netherlands by 6% (+1,600 t), Belgium by 9% (+1,400 t) and Spain by 15% (+1,400 t).

This was capped by losses to Ireland, which is the biggest export destination for British cheese as a result of an increase in their domestic supplies.

Globally, increases in tonnage also went to non-EU nations including China (2,100 t, 366%), Morocco (2,100 t, 253%), Lebanon (1,300 t, 44.2%) and Canada (400 t, 28%). This represented an additional 8,700 t, worth £83m.

The recent anti-dumping duties imposed by China on EU cheese could provide further opportunities for British exporters.

The top ten cheese and curd export gains in 2024 were:

• Netherlands: +7,907 t
• Germany: +3,750 t
• Ireland: +2,042 t
• Algeria: +2,003 t
• Spain: +1,680 t
• United Arab Emitrates: +809 t
• United States of America: +775 t
• Czech Republic: +577 t
• Morocco: +496 t
• Egypt: +454 t

Source: HMRC compiled by Trade Data Monitor LLC

Total import volumes are up by 23,000 t (1.9%) to 1.27 Mt compared to 2024.

This was mainly driven by an increase in imports from EU nations (+19,400 t), which constitute more than 98% of our imports.

Major EU nations contributing to the increase are Greece (+26,000 t), France (+6,700 t), Poland (+6,000 t), Belgium (+4,900 t) and Austria (+4,300 t).

The biggest increase in tonnage was in cheese and curd by 21,100 t (4.7%) followed by yogurt at 10,500 t (3.5%).

Milk powders and whey and whey products also contributed to the increase by 5,800 t (7.2%) and 5,000 t (6.2%), respectively.

Conversely, imports of milk and cream declined by 14,700 t (5.6%) followed by butter at 4,300 t (6.7%) during the year.

The surge of dairy imports reported from New Zealand in 2024 slowed in 2025 and increased by 3,500 t (29.9%) year-on-year.

The majority of the dairy products imported from New Zealand was cheese and curd followed by butter.

Increasing imports is following FTA between UK and New Zealand effective June 2023, which allows increased, tariff-free access for butter and cheese.

Figure 1. Year-on-year change in UK dairy trade volumes 2025 vs 2024 ('000 tonnes)

Source: HMRC compiled by Trade Data Monitor LLC

We have examined the prospects for UK agri-food exports around the globe to help producers and exporters build an understanding of the opportunities and challenges of trading in different world regions. 

Our Exports team, along with the Government and dairy exporters, held events throughout the year to promote British dairy, including the Gulfood trade show, which saw 10 British dairy exporters represented, and bringing the taste of UK dairy to Kuwait.

Lucy Randolph, AHDB’s Head of International Trade Development (Dairy) said:

"This increase in export values is especially validating given AHDB’s enhanced on-the-ground presence in key target markets, with our overseas agents providing their on the ground knowledge and cultivating buyer relationships, delivering seven retail promotions and eight marketing events in the course of 2025.

"With a total of 28 events delivered from San Diego to Singapore, 2025 marks the busiest year yet for the team.

"We look forward to continuing this momentum in 2026 with our largest ever presence at Food and Hotel Asia in Singapore and driving demand for British dairy from parlours in the UK to plates overseas."

Changing global diets, including consumption of more British cheeses globally and increasing consumer demand for protein-rich foods (partially due to the noise around GLP-1 drugs), demonstrate growing opportunities for British dairy exports in 2026.

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