The Co-operative supermarket of the UK has awarded its own-brand milk contract to Robert Wiseman Dairies under a new two-year agreement commencing August this year. The new agreement, which will see the group move to a dedicated milk supply scheme, follows The Co-operative’s successful integration of the Somerfield supermarket chain. Around 350 British dairy farmers are expected to benefit from the new dedicated supply scheme, by receiving a premium for supplying some 363m litres of milk a year to around 4, 000 Co-operative food stores from August onwards, the supermarket says.
Tim Hurrell, chief executive of The Co-operative Group’s food business, says: “We are delighted to be fulfilling the commitment we made to farmers at the height of the Somerfield integration. In partnership with our processor, we will set up a dedicated group of dairy farmers from the Wiseman Milk Partnership, and we will develop long-term, transparent relationships. The foundation for this will be our Food Ethical Policy and the DEFRA ‘dairy roadmap’, with the focus on animal welfare, environmental stewardship and carbon footprint reduction.”

He adds: “Wiseman has been a valued supplier to The Co-operative for many years, and has consistently demonstrated high service levels and has proved to pay, on average, a higher standard farm gate milk price to British dairy farmers than any other major liquid milk processor. Wiseman is focussed on sustainability, and its flagship site at Bridgwater is one of the most efficient and environmentally advanced dairies in the world.”

The move to a dedicated milk supply chain forms part of The Co-operative’s ongoing support for British agriculture as Britain’s biggest farmer and its fifth largest food retailer, the supermarket says.