MÜLLER Milk and Ingredients, Britain’s largest producer of branded and private label fresh and flavoured milk, has announced a £100million 'cost and margin improvement programme'.

Dubbed 'Project Darwin', the exercise will include a comprehensive review of every aspect of MMI’s operations, logistics, back office and 'people organisation' in order to simplify the business, reduce costs and improve customer focus and accountability.

CEO Patrick Müller said: “Fresh milk is loved by British families with 96% of UK households having milk in their fridges. But the market environment has changed significantly due to global dairy market volatility, decline in consumption and changes in retailing and we need to adapt and return to sustainable levels of profitability so that fresh milk can continue to be part of the fabric of British life.

“We have the best invested network in our industry and aim to be the leading fresh milk processor in the country for years to come," he stressed. “Project Darwin is about adapting to the changing market environment, becoming a customer centric, agile and simpler business.

“This transformation programme will inevitably require tough decisions and a great deal of change, but when Project Darwin succeeds, consumers, customers, employees and farmers will benefit, and we can again look forward to a vibrant and progressive future."