UK meat and dairy exports hit record £4bn

British food and drink manufacturers are eyeing significant international expansion as the total value of UK red meat and dairy exports reached a historic £4 billion in 2025.

New data from HMRC confirms that global appetite for “world-class” British produce is at an all-time high, providing a robust roadmap for processors looking to diversify their portfolios.

The figures reveal a dual-sector surge: UK dairy exports climbed to £2.2 billion (up 16.6%), while red meat exports — including offal — rose to £2 billion, a 12% increase on the previous year.

The EU remains vital

Despite growing interest from emerging markets, the European Union remains the dominant destination for British goods. The trade bloc accounted for 73.9% of the total value of UK dairy exports and a commanding 81% of red meat exports.

However, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is aggressively pursuing “world-facing” opportunities. In 2025, the AHDB International Trade Development Team executed its most ambitious program to date, including:

• The “Big Reveal” at Anuga: a massive British presence at the world’s largest food event in Cologne.
• Inward missions: hosting 28 delegates from the Americas, Africa, and Asia to showcase British farming standards.
• Global footprint: 28 dairy-specific events spanning from San Diego to Singapore.

Value for manufacturers

For UK processors and manufacturers, these record-breaking figures represent a critical tool for price resilience.

Lucy Randolph, AHDB head of international trade development (dairy), emphasised the operational importance of these markets: “Exports are critical to the UK dairy industry by providing a long-term outlet for surplus production. They play a huge role in helping to strengthen demand, build price resilience and support long‑term profitability. Every extra tonne of cheese, yogurt or other dairy product sold overseas helps balance supply at home.”

Jonathan Eckley, AHDB international trade development director, added: “The latest full-year figures for 2025 are a remarkable success story, underlining demand for our world-class dairy and red meat produce in a wide portfolio of markets. This will continue to play a key role as we look to build on the achievement of 2025.”

The 2026 export calendar

The export drive shows no signs of slowing. Manufacturers looking to engage with international buyers should note the following key milestones for 2026:

• March: Annual Meat Conference (USA) and trade missions to Japan.
• April: Food and Hotel Asia (FHA) in Singapore — set to be the UK’s largest-ever dairy presence.
• June: The return of the AHDB Red Meat Export Conference.
• October: SIAL Paris, the year’s premier global trade event.

Manufacturers seeking to identify specific high-growth territories can access the full AHDB analysis: Prospects for UK agri-food exports for detailed market intelligence.