Dairy farmer’s son offers ‘fair price’ milk brand

A new free-range milk brand that promises a fair price to suppliers has been launched.

The initiative was unveiled by entrepreneur and dairy farmer’s son Nick Hiscox of the Free-Range Milk Marketing Board (FRMMB) at a Midlands farm. It aims to reconnect dairy farmers to the UK public.

What has been launched?

Enjoy Milk will be a new brand of free-range milk that offers consumers an alternative to supermarket own-brand labels.

The black bottle top guarantees fair prices and contracts for farmers

See also: UK average farmgate milk price at 20-month high

The milk will retail at up to 25% above the current price of milk and pay the producer a “sustainable return” which is yet to be finalised.

Mr Hiscox said the brand would guarantee to consumers that the producer had received a fair price for their milk, were subject to fair and open milk contracts and that cows grazed outside where possible.

Enjoy Milk bottles will carry a black milk top kite-mark.

Who can join?

Enjoy Milk is looking for producers across the country who adhere to its definition of free-range to register their interest, although no contracts are in place and the company does not yet have signed contracts with retailers.

Mr Hiscox said he already had 700 producers who were interested, with the production capacity of about 710m litres.

He added that producer location was just a matter of logistics, and if Enjoy Milk could collect and process an individual’s milk, it would.

What is the FRMMB?

The organisation was created by Mr Hiscox in April 2016 to promote the merits of the dairy industry, lobby for fairer milk contracts and guarantee the origin of milk to consumers.

How does the FRMMB define free-range?

Milk must come from farms with cows grazed outside unless weather, ground conditions or welfare dictate otherwise – all-year-round housing systems will be excluded from the scheme, but Mr Hiscox said, “It’s not about knocking one system – it’s about choice.”

How does Enjoy Milk plan to change the dairy industry?

The brand wants to pressure processors and retailers to promote better contracts and a more equal supply chain.

Initially, this will come through endorsing regional processors who meet its standards – allowing them to use its black milk top kite-mark while retaining their normal branding.

Enjoy Milk is currently in discussions with one national and two regional processors.