Dorset Cereals has become the UK’s leading provider of muesli following the successful completion of two knowledge transfer partnerships with Bournemouth University.

The Dorchester-based company, which produces flakes, granola, porridges, bars and slices as well as muesli, hired university graduates to help develop its marketing and production functions and, as a result, has nearly quadrupled the size of its business.

When managing director Peter Farquhar arrived at Dorset Cereals in 2005 there was no marketing function. But having seen a story about another company that had worked with the university on a knowledge transfer programme, he got in touch with Bournemouth’s School of Services Management.“Together we quickly identified two big gaps that needed plugging, he says.“One was regarding the relationship with our consumers, particularly the website, where we had no expertise in the business, and the second was around production capacity and processes, which we needed to change to meet the planned volume growth.

Bournemouth University graduate Harriet McKay – who has since been appointed as the company’s communications manager – was brought in to deliver the marketing support.“When I started, the website was plain and there was no absolutely reason for customers to come back to the site, explains Harriet.“I worked with the team at Dorset Cereals and its design agency to create a new website that would create more visits and communicate their brand values. Before the university’s involvement, the company had 16,000 emails on its database, – now we have over 200,000.

The company, which had access to university academic expertise around web marketing and database development, also commissioned a second knowledge transfer programme to up production targets.

“We brought in new equipment and employed new staff, but ultimately we needed to change the way we worked on the factory floor and the university helped us with that, says Farquhar. “The university’s involvement has been pivotal to our successes – frankly, we couldn’t have got to the stage we are without the involvement of Bournemouth’s staff and students.

Dr Martyn Polkinghorne, Bournemouth University’s knowledge transfer programmes centre manager, says the partnership with Dorset Cereals is a good example of what the university can bring to business.

“Businesses should be more aware that universities have the capability make a direct impact on their bottom line, as we have in this case, he says.“Here at Bournemouth we have particular expertise in supporting the food and drink sector, as well as many other key specialisms which firms are tapping into.