Wiseman’s Green and White Dairy

UK - Britain’s most efficient and environmentally advanced fresh milk dairy was formally opened yesterday by Lord Rooker, Minister for Sustainable Food and Farming.

4 September 2008

2 minute read

Europe

The Robert Wiseman Dairies facility in Bridgwater, Somerset, will process and pack almost 10% of the nation’s requirement for fresh milk, and is designed to set new standards in minimising the use of energy, water, plastics and food miles.

With an ultimate capacity of 500 million litres per annum, the Company has invested £80 million to take the dairy to its first phase capacity of 250 million litres per annum.

At the opening, Robert Wiseman, Chief Executive of Robert Wiseman Dairies, announced that the Company has started preparatory work to lift capacity to 350 million litres per annum, less than nine months after the dairy processed milk for the first time.

Commented Robert Wiseman:

“Bridgwater is the largest single investment in the British dairy industry to date, and we believe it represents a step change because of the focus placed on use of energy, water, materials and waste.

“It is located in the heart of one of Britain’s largest milk producing areas, which keeps farm tanker miles to a minimum.

“It has its own on site water treatment plant, allowing us to treat and recycle waste water back to bathing water standard so that it can be used again for vehicle washing and to irrigate the local cricket pitch, which sits adjacent to the site.

Opening the plant, Lord Rooker, Minister for Sustainable Food and Farming, said:

"I'm delighted to have opened the new dairy plant here today. It demonstrates the dairy industry's willingness and ability to reduce its environmental impact in the face of climate change, which was at the heart of the Dairy Road Map that was launched earlier this year.

“I very much hope that others in the industry will be able to follow Robert Wiseman's lead."

Robert Wiseman Dairies now processes and distributes milk from 22 sites across the UK from Cornwall to Aberdeen, and employs over 4,500 people.

Wiseman processed just over 1.5 billion litres of milk in the last year giving it a market share of 27% of the UK’s fresh liquid milk market.