Elevate Your Dairy Brand: How Small and Medium-Sized Dairies Can Partner with Wares of Knutsford for Custom Milk Bottles

In the competitive world of dairy, first impressions matter. From the shelf to the fridge at home, your milk bottles are often the first point of contact consumers have with your brand.

For small and medium-sized dairies looking to stand out, partnering with Wares of Knutsford for bespoke milk bottle design, printing, and production is an opportunity that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Why Custom Milk Bottles Matter

Your milk bottle isn’t just a container – it’s a statement of quality and brand identity. Custom bottles can help:

Enhance brand recognition – A unique design ensures your milk stands out on crowded shelves.

Convey your story – Your bottle can reflect the heritage of your dairy, local provenance, or ethical practices.

Increase customer loyalty – Consumers are more likely to remember and return to a product with appealing packaging.

How Wares of Knutsford Can Help

Wares of Knutsford specialises in helping dairies bring their packaging vision to life, from initial concept to the final product. Here’s how the process works:

Design Consultation

Wares’ expert team works with your dairy to understand your brand, values, and target audience. They help translate this into eye-catching bottle designs that reflect your unique identity.

Printing & Labelling Solutions

Whether you’re looking for full-colour printed bottles, embossed logos, or sustainable labelling options, Wares can provide solutions tailored to your needs and budget.

Production & Delivery

With experience producing high-quality bottles in various sizes and materials, Wares ensures your products are delivered efficiently and ready for retail or direct-to-consumer distribution.

Why Small and Medium Dairies Benefit

Partnering with a specialist like Wares of Knutsford gives smaller dairies access to the same professional packaging standards as large brands, without the overheads or complex supply chains. Whether you’re a local dairy looking to strengthen your presence in farmer’s markets or an online subscription milk service, high-quality custom bottles make your brand memorable and trusted.

Take the Next Step

Investing in custom milk bottles isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about positioning your dairy as a brand that cares about quality, presentation, and the customer experience. Reach out to Wares of Knutsford today to discuss how they can help your dairy create packaging that truly stands out.

https://www.waresofknutsford.co.uk

Celebrating International Day of Cooperatives: Spotlight on Farm and Food & Drink Cooperatives

Every year on the first Saturday of July, the world comes together to celebrate the International Day of Cooperatives, a day dedicated to recognising the vital role cooperatives play in building sustainable economies and communities. 

Cooperatives, driven by principles of democracy, mutual support, and shared success, empower millions across the globe. Today, we’re shining a special light on farm cooperatives and food and drink cooperatives, two sectors at the heart of local economies and food security.

What Is the International Day of Cooperatives?

With roots dating back to the early 1920s it was officially recognised by the United Nations in 1992, the International Day of Cooperatives celebrates the contribution of cooperative enterprises to social and economic development. 

It highlights how cooperatives help tackle challenges such as poverty, hunger, and environmental degradation by fostering collaboration and community empowerment.

Why Focus on Farm Cooperatives?

Farming can be a tough and unpredictable business. From fluctuating market prices to the pressures of climate change, individual farmers often struggle to thrive alone. This is where farm cooperatives come in — by joining forces, farmers can pool resources, share equipment, access better markets, and negotiate fairer prices.

Farm cooperatives enable members to:

Buy seeds, fertilisers, and machinery at bulk rates

Share knowledge and expertise on sustainable farming techniques

Market and sell their produce collectively, boosting bargaining power

Access credit and financial services more easily

This collaboration not only strengthens farmers’ livelihoods but also ensures a more stable and sustainable food supply chain.

The Rise of Food and Drink Cooperatives

Beyond farms, cooperatives have a growing presence in the food and drink sector. Food and drink cooperatives bring producers, retailers, and consumers together with a shared goal: quality, ethical, and local products that benefit communities rather than corporate shareholders.

These co-ops often focus on:

Supporting local farmers and artisans

Promoting organic and sustainable products

Ensuring transparency in sourcing and production

Offering fair prices to producers and affordable options for consumers

By prioritising community welfare over profits, food and drink cooperatives play a crucial role in revitalising local food economies, reducing food miles, and fostering trust between producers and consumers.

How You Can Celebrate and Support Cooperatives

This International Day of Cooperatives, there are many ways to get involved and show support:

Shop at local co-ops: Find a nearby food or drink cooperative and support their products.

Join a cooperative: If you’re a producer or consumer interested in cooperative values, consider joining or starting a cooperative.

Spread the word: Use social media to share stories about successful farm and food cooperatives in your area.

Learn and educate: Attend local events or webinars focused on cooperatives to better understand their impact.

The Bigger Picture

Farm and food and drink cooperatives are more than just business models, they are community builders. By working together, they help preserve rural livelihoods, promote environmental stewardship, and ensure equitable access to nutritious food. 

On this International Day of Cooperatives, let’s celebrate the power of collaboration and commit to supporting these vital networks that nourish both people and the planet.

Do you know a local farm or food cooperative making a difference? Share their story in the comments or tag them on social media to help raise their profile this International Day of Cooperatives!

Lidl offers help to egg farmers and issues plea to other retailers to also offer help

Lidl GB is offering financial incentives for farmers and is also calling on other retailers to find ways to encourage them into the sector.

Following considerable pressure on the egg industry over the past year, Lidl GB is calling on other retailers to take bigger steps to encourage farmers back into the egg sector.

The update comes as Lidl GB confirms it’s taking a bold new approach to boosting British egg production, by offering farmers financial incentives to move into egg farming. 

Existing and new farmers are being offered an extra investment on top of market rates, supported by long term contracts as part of a guaranteed pay back deal. Through these contracts, farmers will then be given the security and confidence required to invest in and expand their existing businesses, helping to provide greater returns in the longer term.

Whilst other supermarkets in recent months have chosen to import eggs from oversees, Lidl GB has held firm on its commitment to source 100% British fresh shell eggs and has focused efforts on supporting the sector.

Said Martin Kottbauer, who is Chief Trading Officer at Lidl GB: “The last year's been particularly  difficult and challenging for the British egg industry, and it’s had an impact on everyone. The easy option would certainly have been for us to source from elsewhere, but we are firmly committed to the long-standing relationships we have with our British suppliers, and our commitment to sourcing 100% fresh shell British eggs.

“As an industry we must be doing more to ensure the long-term sustainability of the British egg sector, which is why we've taken steps to offer incentives and security for farmers to expand into egg production. 

"This approach, supported by long term contracts, is giving our suppliers much needed confidence to invest in their businesses and further secure their futures. We would urge other retailers to do the same.”

Not only is Lidl investing in new producers, the retailer is also supporting existing suppliers and is set to invest an additional £40m compared to last year.

Speaking about their partnership with Lidl, Robert Chapman, of Farmlay Eggs said: “Farmlay and its 25 contract producers are obviously very grateful to Lidl for its support during a very challenging time with Avian Influenza a constant threat. 

"The security Lidl has given us with long term contracts and a cost of production model ensures a good return, back to the primary producer. This security has enabled Farmlay to expand its own production base and also to encourage existing and new producers, like Bob and Kay Adam to invest. The Adam’s first birds were housed at the end of July and we know they’re incredibly excited ahead of their eggs going into Lidl stores. Lidl’s support for the whole British farming sector is second to none; just look at the amount of British and regional products displayed in their stores.”

Farmlay:

Following discussions with packer Farmlay Eggs, Bob and Kay Adam, who are renowned cattle breeders, recently started working with Lidl as part of a five-year contract linked to a cost of production model. This long-term partnership with Lidl gave them the confidence they needed to diversify their business and invest in a 32,000 bird Free Range egg laying henhouse. They will see their first eggs land in Lidl stores within the next two weeks.

Duncan Farms:

Lidl GB is also working closely with its suppliers to support more sustainable farming practices. At the beginning of September, Lidl will launch a new 6 pack of Free Range eggs that have a carbon footprint reduction of almost 60%. Working with its Scottish based egg supplier Duncan’s, the businesses have achieved a significant emissions reduction by removing soy from animal feed, replacing it with feed made of home-grown British beans, whilst significantly increasing biodiversity, amongst other developments. The RSPCA Assured eggs also promote hyper transparency, with the packs featuring a QR code enabling customer to get more information on the five steps of climate action.

Working with Lidl

Suppliers can find out more here - https://corporate.lidl.co.uk/supplier-information

www.lidl.co.uk