Robert Wiseman Dairies of the UK and A2 Corporation, a company listed in New Zealand, have confirmed plans to introduce a range of a2 Milk products from Summer 2012. A2 Milk is pure fresh milk from cows specially selected to produce only A2 beta-casein protein, the ‘original milk protein’ which all dairy cows produced prior to a natural genetic variation that occurred several thousands of years ago which led to the appearance of A1 beta-casein protein in dairy herds.

In Australia, where a2 Milk has been available for a number of years, many people who have self-diagnosed intolerance of milk but are not medically diagnosed as being lactose intolerant, are finding that their symptoms are improved or completely alleviated by drinking a2 Milk. That’s because they are likely to be reacting to the impact of the beta-casein protein in milk as opposed to the lactose.

Studies have shown that as many as one in five people in Western countries believe they are intolerant to dairy and find it hard to digest milk, which stops them from benefiting from the wide range of essential nutrients that milk provides. However, according to the NHS only one in 20 people in Britain is lactose intolerant.

Billy Keane, managing director of Robert Wiseman Dairies says: “By introducing a2 Milk alongside our existing range of fresh milk products we have an exciting opportunity to bring people back to dairy and grow the market for fresh milk in Britain. We very much look forward to working with our customers and our suppliers to introduce a2 Milk in the UK.”