Waitrose to quit milk production on its Hampshire estate

Waitrose is to cease milk production at its Leckford Estate in Hampshire.

The retailer’s 425-cow Holstein Friesian herd supplies about 3% of its own-brand milk.

The final milking at Abbott’s Manor Dairy is expected to be this spring.

The decision to quit milk follows a review of the estate’s farming enterprises, their overall contribution to the farm’s performance and future farming objectives.

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A Waitrose spokesman said: “Although this has been a difficult decision to make, just 3% of Waitrose dairy milk is currently sourced from our farm on the Leckford Estate.

“By converting this space into a new beef unit and reverting land back to crop production, we will not only be able to unlock greater commercial benefits, we will further our ambition to deliver regenerative agriculture practices, which we firmly believe is the future of British farming.”

The herd is one of 48 dairy farms dedicated to producing Essential Waitrose milk, and was formed by merging two existing Holstein Friesian herds at the new Abbotts Manor Dairy in 2006.

The estate supplies a wide range of produce to Waitrose shops and the Leckford Estate Farm Shop, including fruit, vegetable wine, juice, milk and flour.

Nine staff – known as partners – work at the dairy, with two roles required to support the new enterprises, so seven roles are at risk.

For those affected, other opportunities are being explored on the estate in its retail, leisure and food processing businesses.