Primula | The Squeezy Cheese That Helps Create Change
The Cheese with a Mission
We believe that there’s more to life than making gloriously good cheese
(but that’s a great start)
We’re the first Created in 1924, Primula Cheese is known and loved as the world’s first spreadable cheese in a tube.
We love to share By donating all profits to good causes, sharing the love is as easy as enjoying our cheese.
We’re UK-made We’ve been proud to call Gateshead the home of our creamy cheese since 1939.
We’re the squeezy cheese that creates change
Back in 1924, Primula began with big dreams and even bigger taste buds. As part of Kavli Trust, we’re proud to bring that creamy, squeezy, cheesy flavour to cheese lovers around the world. All while donating all profits to good causes around the world and right here in the UK. We’ve been helping people squeeze the cheesy goodness with every product, including donating all our profits to good causes. In 2022, we contributed 6 million pounds* to charities that positively change local communities.

With your help, we can support even more good causes with even bigger donations! Visit our Where to Buy page below to buy Primula and support local charities that change people’s lives.


*Source: Kavli Trust Annual Report 2022

Visit the Kavli Trust website
60% Of profits support humanitarian projects
30% Of profits support research projects
10% Of profits support cultural projects
Our history The history of Primula Cheese is as unique as the squeezy cheese itself. From our Norwegian heritage to giving to good causes, we really are the cheese with a difference.
1924 the world’s first in 1924, Olav Kavli developed Primula, one of the first long-lasting cheese spreads.
1929 Our UK launch We made it across the North Sea and into homes around the UK. Kavli also developed the word's first spreadable cheese in a tube.
1931 Primula goes global More cheese, please! The 30’s see Primula spread across Scandinavia and Europe. Next stop: the rest of the world.
1936 The first UK factory In order to ensure competitive prices in the UK, Kavli had to establish a factory in the country to produce Primula. Kavli's eyes fell on Cramlington, a small town 14km north of Newcastle. The factory was completed in 1936.
1939 The Team Valley Manufacturing and sales requirements at the time meant the factory in Cramlington was no longer suitable for producing cheese. The new premises in Gateshead met the needs to produce Primula. We are still here today producing the squeezy cheese you know and love.
1951 Primula providing for British troops Sales rocketed from 1948-1952 because of large orders from the armed forces. Primula was popular as war rations, as well as an ordinary sandwich topping. Large orders for British troops made the Gateshead factory very successful for Kavli.
1956 Primula in NYC Primula was sold to the US market, exhibitions and radio campaigns with 'celebrity couple' Faye Emerson and Skitch Henderson promoting Primula. Larry's in Brooklyn, New York proclaimed 'it's new, try Primula Spread Cheese.'
1962 Kavli Trust est. With no heirs to leave Primula to, Knut Kavli (Kavli’s second generation) established the Kavli Trust to support our charitable work.
1977 Primula name stays in the UK Kavli decided to replace the Primula brand name to Kavli for the Scandinavian market, except for here in the UK. The Primula name was just as important to our customers as it is now.
1989 Give us a squeeze, Louise The 1980's brought in new challenges, however the Primula brand remained strong and we introduced Primula dips for the first time in 1989 which were a huge success in the UK.
1995 The only cheese you can squeeze The 90's saw our 'there's only one cheese you can squeeze' TV ad. Primula Cheese spreads, it also squeezes!
2011 Proud to be cheesy In 2011 we travelled to a lot of UK food fairs where we offered festival-goers samples of our delicious squeezy cheese. With the help of our mascots Nibbles, of course!
2022 And beyond Producing cheesy goodness remains at the core of Primula Cheese. In 2022 we donated £83,000 to Feeding Families to provide food boxes for those in need as a result of the cost of living crisis.
Kavli Trust Today The Kavli Trust helps make change possible by supporting charitable causes across the UK and around the world by providing sustainable investment in research, culture, and humanitarian efforts. As the sole proprietor of the Kavli Group, the Kavli Trust makes sure that every pence of profit that isn’t reinvested into creating new flavours goes to supporting charitable work.

Over the last fifteen years, we’ve proudly donated over £90 million to good causes, with 2019 seeing a record-breaking donation of £10.2 million — all thanks to you and your love of cheese.
Visit the kavli trust