Meet Chris

Look beyond the bottles that have been delivered to countless doorways across the North West, and you’ll find a family business, a digital innovator, and a pioneer of sustainable business practices. This is the story of Chris Swallow and Creamline Dairies – HURST clients since 2001.

“Creamline has been a family business since it was started just after the war – and our family have been custodians ever since my dad Anthony agreed to buy the business back in 1994. Dad had always been in the dairy industry, so he knew there was a good business and a big opportunity here - I guess you could say that milk is in our blood.

25 years later and he was clearly right. We’ve diversified, digitalised, and constantly evolved, which has resulted in some really healthy growth – our turnover has increased ten-fold, and we’re proud to employ more than 300 people. The business is almost unrecognisable from the traditional fleet of milk floats and milkmen we acquired back in the nineties… and HURST have been a huge part of that journey.

We started working with the team at HURST around 20 years ago. Prior to that we were with one of the ‘big four’, but it just wasn’t working. We needed a more flexible and personal relationship, and that’s exactly what we’ve enjoyed with HURST. The assurances we were given by them two decades ago are still true today… that kind of care and consistency is difficult to find.

But it’s worth stressing that their business is probably unrecognisable too. We’re lucky that they’ve grown and evolved with us, meaning they can continue to provide a one-stop solution for our constantly evolving needs, without ever losing that personal touch and caring nature. 

Their influence on our business has extended far beyond the traditional world of accountancy. They’ve given professional support in acquisitions and helped in our succession planning too. That’s on top of the ongoing tax and audit support that they deliver with real quality and consistency.

I couldn’t tell you how they compare to other firms, because we’ve never needed to consider using anyone else. They’re a truly valuable strategic partner.”

HURST in three words?  Personal. Proactive. Professional.

To find out more about Creamline Dairies, and their journey to becoming one of the North West's most admired organisations, just visit www.creamline.co.uk