Ann Forshaw’s has launched milk into the retail market for the first time in the company’s 45-year history in a tale of two Lancashire family businesses working together.
The new Ann Forshaw’s premium pasteurised 4% fat whole milk is on the shelves of Spar stores across the North of England using high quality fresh milk supplied from Clifton Dairies in Woodplumpton.
The development marks the latest exciting step in diversifying the Ann Forshaw’s brand into other dairy products from its internationally renowned yoghurts since its acquisition by James Hall & Co. Ltd.
Priced at £1.60 for a one litre bottle, the new Ann Forshaw’s line has been launched in response to the resurgence of whole milk sales at tills and it offers consumers a higher fat percentage than the minimum 3.5% requirement for whole milk.
The smart navy, white and gold labelling gives the product a superior feel on the shelf matched by the provenance of the milk inside produced by pedigree Holstein cows.
Clifton Dairies are owned by brothers Richard and Michael Leeming, who have decades of dairy farming experience between them, and are passionate about the quality of milk they produce for market.
Andrew Owen, head of trading for chilled and frozen at James Hall & Co. Ltd, said: “This is a fantastic development for the Ann Forshaw’s brand, moving it into a growing market area while providing Spar North of England customers with an instantly recognisable label renowned for its quality when buying their milk.
“When it came to sourcing milk for the new premium line, my first thought was to contact Clifton Dairies. The business is local and shares a similarly strong heritage for dairy products as Ann Forshaw’s, and it is particularly pleasing two Lancashire family businesses have partnered to deliver this farm to bottle project.”
Richard Leeming, of Clifton Dairies, said: “As a family business, we take great satisfaction from James Hall & Co. Ltd’s decision to strengthen support for Lancashire farming through this new commercial relationship with us.
“We are proud to support the continued expansion of such an iconic Lancashire brand in Ann Forshaw’s, and we are confident customers will enjoy the premium product in the bottle which offers a more luxurious profile than regular whole milk with the minimum 4% fat content.”
James Hall & Co. Ltd is a fifth-generation family business which serves a network of independent Spar retailers and company-owned Spar stores across Northern England six days a week from its base at Bowland View in Preston.
