Cheshire Show dairy wins top farming award

A KNUTSFORD dairy, which started life with just a herd of three goats, has won ‘Farm Business of the Year’ at a top industry awards ceremony in London.

 

Delamere Dairy, based at Yew Tree Farm, took the overall winners prize at the Farm Business Food and Farming Industry Award, for its specialist dairy products made from goat’s milk, soya and cow’s milk. Liz and Roger Sutton, who founded the business 25 years ago, were presented with their award at a special ceremony at the House of Commons.

 

Liz said: "It is always nice to win award but this is a really useful one for us.

 

"It is getting us in front of the Agricultural ministers and allowing our voice to be heard on issues affecting the industry.”

 

From its humble beginnings, the business is now based in Knutsford and turns over £15m with products being sold nationally and internationally, including China. However, for Liz and Roger, Cheshire remains at the heart of what they do and the couple are now preparing for their fifth appearance at this year’s Cheshire Show.

 

Liz added: "The Cheshire Show is our local market and is really important to us, which is why we always have a big presence there. "This year we’ll be putting on three activities for visitors, including a stand in the food hall where people can taste our new soya milk.

 

"If you can’t persuade local people to buy your products then you will never get people in China to buy them either.”

 

Nigel Evans, Executive Director of the Cheshire Show, said: "Delamere Dairy has proved a huge success story and I would like to congratulate them on their recent award.

 

"The Cheshire Show is all about promoting local produce so it’s great that they come along each year – their stands are always really popular.”

 

You can learn more about Delamere Dairy at this year’s Cheshire Show, which takes place in Tabley on June 19 and 20.