How chocolate milk has won a Fylde coast farming family national honours

A Blackpool farming family is the cream of the crop after winning a national award for their chocolate milk.
Karen and John Bradley, second and third left, receiving their Cream Award for Derby Hill Dairy's chocolate milkKaren and John Bradley, second and third left, receiving their Cream Award for Derby Hill Dairy's chocolate milk
Karen and John Bradley, second and third left, receiving their Cream Award for Derby Hill Dairy's chocolate milk

The Bradley family, of Derby Hill Dairy at Weeton, have been farming the land there for five generations.

They have 220 cows on the 180 acres and specialise in milk for doorstep delivery, cream and handmade farmhouse butter.

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But branching out into an udder field with flavoured milks has won them national attention in the British Dairying Cream awards after winning the Taste of Excellence Award.

Karen and John Bradley, second and third left, receiving their Cream Award for Derby Hill Dairy's chocolate milkKaren and John Bradley, second and third left, receiving their Cream Award for Derby Hill Dairy's chocolate milk
Karen and John Bradley, second and third left, receiving their Cream Award for Derby Hill Dairy's chocolate milk

Karen Bradley, whose husband John and his brother David run the farm, said they were delighted to have been chosen.

David's wife Nicola works in the farm office and the families’ children Isabelle, Liam, Zoe and Ellen lend a hand at weekends.

Karen said: “The flavoured milk began when John as approached by a Jewish gentleman from Manchester who was hoping he could produce fresh, kosher, chocolate milk.

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“Now we sell it on the milk rounds and at local farm shops and to many other dairies around the country

The taste award won by Derby Hill Dairy WeetonThe taste award won by Derby Hill Dairy Weeton
The taste award won by Derby Hill Dairy Weeton

“We sell a lot more now in the glass bottles. People are very conscious of trying to reduce plastic usage so ti is better for the environment and the milk round bottles are of course used over and over.

“We also do strawberry and banana flavoured milk. The recipe is a secret. We had a local scout group come in to do taste tests for us when we were developing it.

“It is always rewarding when you produce a really good product, but getting a national seal of approval like this is great.”