Milk rounds revived in rural areas

The rise of supermarkets has meant milk rounds have become less common in recent years, a fact born out by the 13.3 per cent year-on-year decline in doorstep deliveries reported in 2009.

Industry leaders say, however, that the milk round is beginning to find favour with customers again, particularly those in rural communities who want to support local farmers and do not have the same access to shops as those in towns and cities. Last year Milk&more, the home delivery service of the Dairy Crest firm boasted of 42 million home deliveries nationwide.

And Dairy UK, which represents dairy farmers and processors, has enjoyed 10,000 hits on a website it set up a website to find milkmen in their area.

Processing manager of Dairy UK Edmund Profitt said the decline in people turning their backs on milk rounds was slowing and that the market was shifting to people more interested in where their food comes from – especially from customers in the countryside. "We certainly believe that the rate of decline is slowing down significantly and it seems many people are looking to start a milk round," he said.

"In the current financial climate you would expect door step delivery services to suffer.

"In fact on the contrary we have got people returning to doorstep, attracted to the quality of service and the fact that they want to support a local business.

"It is not quite the level of decline we are seeing claimed in some circles – we are not being flooded with imported milk quite yet." Mr Profitt said there was no hard and fast rule why there was an increase in interest.

"In some respects it can be seen as a backlash against the supermarkets, with their omnipresence and 24/7 service, which some may associate with a decline in local products and supply.

"We see the most significant increases in rural areas where people perhaps appreciate the quality of service and are not as close to a supermarket. Semi-suburban, rural and affluent areas has the greatest demand. It is not just milk they offer but other locally-produced products such as potatoes and vegetables."

One couple who have seen the benefits of increased demand in milk rounds are Peter and Sarah Burdass of West End Farm, near Driffield, East Yorkshire. In just a couple of years they have established client bases across the area after they started bottling and delivering the milk they produce on the farm under the name St Quintins.

Mrs Burdass said: "What we offer is clearly a very local product. As well as this we give a good service to our customers."

The news comes in the week when some dairy farmers have at last seen positive movements in milk prices. Both Wyke Farms and Glanbia announced increases, which National Farmers Union dairy chairman Mansel Raymond said were a "welcome improvement".

"At last, it seems that milk processors have listened to farmers and acted on market signals. With market conditions providing strong grounds for a sizeable increase, there are still a number of questions that need to be asked to those processors that have as yet not moved, or not moved by enough. I will make it my task to ask these questions," said Mr Raymond. Commodity prices increased in Britain again in April. The price of mild cheddar rose for the first time since November 2009.

Milk production in the southern hemisphere is forecast to be lower than 2009 – all suggesting milk prices should go even higher in liquid and cheese.

Imports of cheddar are down by 15 per cent and domestic demand is thought to be increasing. "These are long overdue movements and farmers should rightly be asking for much more of the same in coming months."