Member Article

Local dairy wins Best Sustainable Product Award

A Darlington dairy’s milk has been crowned Best Sustainable Product at a recent awards ceremony.

Acorn Dairy’s organic milk received the accolade at the Deliciouslyorkshire Taste Awards, an event celebrating the very best of Yorkshire’s food and drink.

The family business, run by directors Caroline Bell and her brother Graham Tweddle, has been farming at Archdeacon Newton, near Darlington, since 1928 and converted to organic status in 1998. The dairy supplies milk to businesses and directly to customers’ doorsteps across the North East.

Caroline said: “We take immense pride in being a food producer rooted in our local community, and this win shines a light on the sustainability of our direct to consumer, organic dairy farming model.

“What makes this win even more special is the commitment to sustainability that runs deep in the Yorkshire food sector – and we’re honoured to be part of that.”

The Deliciouslyorkshire awards are a prestigious recognition of excellence in the region’s food and drink industry. The entries in the Best Sustainable Product category were meticulously judged by experts from the University of York School for Business and Society and FixOurFood to determine the shortlist.

The judges were impressed by the groundbreaking work taking place in the area to reduce chemical inputs, increase the use of renewable energy, promote biodiversity and water quality, enhance soil health and reduce emissions.

And Acorn’s commitment to sustainability goes back some decades: since 1998, the land farmed organically due to Acorn Dairy’s activities has more than tripled.

The award-winning organic milk is bottled in the dairy’s own plant to reduce food miles, with power coming from its on-site wind turbine. This latest award comes after Acorn’s sustainable practices received royal approval, with a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development acknowledging its environmentally friendly practices in 2021.

Caroline continued: “We firmly believe that prevention is better than cure when it comes to cow, human and soil health. We’re passionate about producing good food, well, and restoring biodiversity and soil carbon naturally as we go.

“We are also ever mindful that this significant recognition for our organic milk would not be possible without the continued market demand and support from our wonderful catering and family doorstep customers who want the best, sustainable products.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Acorn Dairy .