Catching up with our Founder, John Langslow, and MD, Damon Murphy
With County Milk recently celebrating its 30th anniversary, as well as an all-new brand and website launching this week, there was no better time to catch up with our Chairman, John Langslow, and Managing Director, Damon Murphy.
John and Damon reflected on how far the business has come since its beginnings over 30 years ago, and shared a glimpse into where County Milk is heading next. Read their thoughts below.
Hi John – let’s start right at the beginning. What inspired you to start County Milk 30 years ago?
John: I’d always wanted to work for myself. When the Irish Dairy Board restructured their UK operation, it was a good opportunity to start my own business.
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in building the business?
John: Being recognised as something more than a one man band. When you start, you’re on your own in your bedroom and you have to build credibility and recognition – it takes perseverance. It’s hard when you’re starting out. I was quite surprised by how hard. You’re a new company, and you have to prove yourself, even to friends and people who know you.
For the first 6-7 years it was me, then me and a very small support team. Now we have a big team and a lot of knowledge. But at the start, you have to do everything and learn everything yourself. I remember thinking: ‘Where am I going to get supplies from?’
In October 1993 I started the company Cheshire Food Ingredients. When I joined forces with Vreugdenhil BV of Holland it evolved from importing ingredients to a focus on milk, hence why we changed the name to County Milk Products.
What have been some of County Milk’s biggest achievements and milestones?
John: There have been too many to mention, but the movement into manufacturing has been very successful for us, because we have the ability to better control and continually improve our knowledge and operational ability. We are both traders and manufacturers, and we work across the complete dairy cycle.
What do you think has been the key to County Milk’s success?
John: Personal relationships with our partners and our customers. My own tenure in the food industry has meant I know a lot of people, and I believe in the value of actually going and meeting your customers. It builds trust and you can speak face to face.
Also, choosing the right people to work with you. I value colleagues who have a can-do attitude and who are optimistic, who have a personality and are willing to speak up and share their opinion.
What would be your advice to someone starting out in the industry?
John: Don’t give up! Whether it’s the sale or the business. It takes time, so keep going and the ones who do are the ones who usually get there.
Damon, County Milk prides itself on its family values and long-term partnerships. How have these values shaped the way the business operates?
Damon: These values mean that we are not solely focussed on short- to mid-term profits; we look towards building relationships that are long-lasting, open and mutually beneficial to our business partners.
The dairy industry can be very volatile in many ways – supply/demand, prices, changes in the infrastructure, etc. Our mindset is to ride and buffer the waves of volatility with our partners as we believe a collaborative approach is ultimately the most successful and sustainable.
What made now the right time to launch the new brand and website?
Damon: The concept was initially raised to align with our 30-year anniversary. However, like many good ideas, what starts with a seed often becomes something much bigger. We have taken the time to reflect on how our business is developing, how our colleagues are growing and how we are evolving with the dairy industry. We want branding to match this – who we are now compared to who we were when the previous branding was created.
What parts of the new brand or website do you personally like most?
Damon: The playfulness. We are a family business and in that we combine fun and light-heartedness into how we operate. It was important to us that this could be seen/felt in how we present ourselves.
Looking ahead, what’s in store for the next chapter of County Milk?
Damon: That would be telling! But what I will share is that we will soon implement an SAP system with the goal of improving our processes and efficiency. Also, our powder blending facility at Widnes is still in its infancy and is a key focus area for us. Finally, we have a great team and our focus remains on their development. We’re currently recruiting for our first dairy technologist apprentice. I see this as an ongoing theme.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in the dairy industry today?
Damon: It depends on where within the industry, but as things can move very quickly within the sector I would advise to build for stability, understand the full dairy chain and focus on the details.