The LDC Top 50 Alumni
Where Are They Now: Nagma Ebanks-Beni and Nima Beni, Prima Cheese
23 Sep 2024
The LDC Top 50 Most Ambitious Business Leaders programme has celebrated more than 300 exceptional individuals since its launch in 2018. In this series, we reconnect with some of our alumni to find out what happened next in their growth journey, the impact of being part of the programme, and their ambitions now.
Brother-and-sister team Nagma Ebanks-Beni and Nima Beni joined their parents’ pizza cheese
shredding company 20 years ago after building their own careers outside the family business. Together, they have turned a cottage industry into a cheese processing giant and one of the North East’s biggest exporters. “You may not know it, but you have probably eaten our cheese,” says Nagma. Since featuring in The LDC Top 50 two years ago, the pair has opened a London office alongside the County Durham headquarters, and accelerated export sales.
“We started selling internationally 12 years ago and now we supply 58 countries,” says Nima, adding that Asia is currently a hot territory. “You’ll find our cheese in hotpots in Hong Kong and street food in Thailand.” Turnover rose by a third in 2023, and the co-CEOs created a new group structure, which allows the business to invest in property and offer consultancy services. She adds: “We are passionate about driving this business forward and have ambitious plans for the future.”
What’s happened in the last two years?
Nima: When we featured in The LDC Top 50, we were shredding 600 tonnes of cheese a week. Now we’re up to 700 tonnes and both turnover and profitability have also improved.
Nagma: We used to focus on the pizza cheese category, but now we shred all kinds of cheese to meet the demands of our export customers. Last year, export volumes rose 72pc.
Being part of The LDC Top 50 was very special for us. It was the first time that Nima and I had been recognised together, as co-CEOs.”
What’s the secret to your success?
Nagma: We sell to businesses but we behave like a consumer facing company. If you look at our branding and packaging, it’s bright and engaging. That, alongside a great product, gives us the edge because we are memorable, and we build really close relationships with both customers and suppliers.
Has sustainability become more of a priority?
Nima: We are passionate about being better tomorrow than today and that’s true of our sustainability strategy too. Last year, we installed solar panels across the whole site in County Durham and we have already saved 500 tonnes of CO2. When we move from our 80,000 sq. ft facility to a new 100,000 sq. ft space, we will look at heat recovery too. Being sustainable is good for business – we reduce wastage. The cheese that fell on the floor used to cost us £1.2m a year and now that’s down to £600,000.
How are you promoting inclusivity?
Nagma: Our company employs 28 different nationalities within one of the least diverse communities in the UK, so we’re committed to creating a framework where our people feel valued and supported to achieve their best. Our people are from a variety of different backgrounds and cultures, so creating a platform for them to contribute and feel safe is paramount – that’s why diversity and inclusion is ingrained in our company values and policies.
It was very motivating for both of us, showing that we are going in the right direction. Since then, we have started thinking really seriously about the legacy we want this business to leave behind.”
Feeling Inspired? Register your interest or put forward a CEO or Founder you know for The LDC Top 50 2025 here.
