GRAHAM’S THE Family Dairy has released its full year annual financial results, claiming that continued new product development and innovation has delivered a positive 80th anniversary year.

The firm reported a 4.7% rise in turnover, up £4.9m in 2018 to £109m this year. Profit before tax was at £2.2m, up from last year.

"As a family business Graham’s pride themselves on providing their customers with fresh, top quality and great tasting products, but also being innovative, with new product development being a point of focus to meet and keep up with the fast-paced consumer dairy trends," said the company's statement.

"2018 saw the successful launch of Graham’s Skyr, a Scandinavian-style cultured dairy product naturally high in protein. Exceeding all sales expectations, to date Skyr is Graham’s best performing new product launch and is available across the UK, as well as now being exported to the Republic of Ireland, France and UAE."

Expanding that high protein range, in March this year, Graham’s launched their Goodness range, introducing a new low-calorie ice cream and flavoured cottage cheese, in direct response to the low calorie and lower in sugar ice cream currently trending in the USA.

Managing director Robert Graham said: “As a third-generation family business, I am very proud to be celebrating the 80th year of the business that was started with twelve cows by my grandparents in 1939 at Airthrey Kerse in Bridge of Allan.

"We pride ourselves, not only on working hard to produce high quality and great tasting products, but also being dynamic and innovative to meet developing consumer trends that are very much aligned to dairy products. It is very important that we continue to grow margins in order to be able to continue to invest into the business and keep up this pace of innovation."