Lewis Road Creamery is supporting a new initiative to grow the organic dairy sector in New Zealand and sure up organic milk supply for its growing customer base.
The popular dairy brand is a founding customer of the newly launched Organic Dairy Hub Co-operative of New Zealand. The Hub links organic dairy farms with dairy producers like Lewis Road Creamery providing certainty of sale for farmers and certainty of supply for purchasers.
Peter Cullinane, Lewis Road Creamery Founder and one of two independent Directors of the Organic Dairy Hub welcomes the initiative. “Since we launched our milks in 2013 we have grown the organic milk category in both volume and value. We love organic farming and our goal is to make as much of our range as possible organic. However due to inconsistency of supply this has been a challenge for us and has meant our organic milk range isn’t always available.”
Cullinane says globally and in New Zealand the demand for organic is booming, yet the number of organic dairy farms has fallen from 125 to 85 in the last three years. “The Organic Dairy Hub Co-operative will help to reverse this trend, sure up supply of organic milk and ensure our customers can enjoy it year round.”
Bill Quinn, organic farmer and independent Director of the Hub says 33 dairy farmers have already signed up. “Over the next three years we have a projected 30 million litres of organic milk becoming available. And we know the demand is there as we have already made arrangements for the sale of most of the milk we will receive next season,” says Quinn.
Lewis Road Creamery’s organic milk range has just returned to supermarket shelves following a two month absence due to seasonal supply issues. However, the partnership with the Organic Milk Hub means its organic milks will now be available permanently and it can look to extend its distribution footprint and organic product line-up.
