A WEST Dorset farm has been awarded the royal seal of approval for success in exporting cheese overseas.

Ford Farm, based at the Ashley Chase Estate in Litton Cheney, have been named a winner of a Queen's Award for International Trade - the UK's highest award for business success.

The company exports more than 1,000 tonnes of cheese to the United States every year and the Dorset-based business' product is bought across the world - including Kenya, India, Hong Kong and Israel.

Mike Pullin, director at Ford Farm, said: "Though other less obvious markets are starting to emerge as opportunities for our brands, last year we shipped over seven tonnes of cheese to a customer in Mumbai, India - an increase of 700 percent on the first order they placed with us in 2011.

"It’s a fantastic accolade and has made a significant impact on our business over the past few years in gaining credibility for our brands as well as helping to open doors to new markets. It’s a great honour to receive the award for a second time, particularly in the awards’ 50th year."

Ford Farm have seen export sales increasing by more than 50 percent over the last two years.

Coastal Cheddar, an eighteen month matured cheddar with a characteristic crunch, is the main brand for export and is reportedly the best-selling branded cheddar in the United States. Cave Aged Cheddar, the company’s most successful UK brand, launched in 2006 and matured in the Caves at Wookey Hole in Somerset, is also starting to grow in popularity globally - with recent orders coming in from Australia, Hong Kong and Canada.

Ford Farm is also continually active in research and development, creating new flavours to tempt the palates of global customers.

Mr Pullin said it was the hard work of the company's staff who should take credit for the award.

He said: "It's our entire supply chain we need to thank - our farmer whose herds supply the milk, our amazing teams of cheesemakers here at Ashley Chase who make such a consistently good product that gets reordered time and again - as well as our fantastic sales team both here in the UK as well as in the USA."

Ford Farm are one of 141 winners of the Queen's Awards for Enterprise. The winners will be visited by a Royal representative and presented with a crystal bowl to mark their achievement.