Tom Parker Creamery has revealed a strategic alliance with First Milk, a co-operative owned by British farmers, aimed at shifting its milk supply to a sustainable, regenerative system.
This collaboration connects the esteemed dairy brand with First Milk’s B Corp certified network, focusing on improving soil health, promoting carbon sequestration, and enhancing biodiversity within its local supply chain.
The initiative adopts a “field-to-fridge” methodology, ensuring that every milk bottle reflects environmentally friendly farming practices. The farmers from First Milk who provide milk to the creamery are dedicated to grazing-based systems, utilizing data collection to assess environmental impacts while ensuring their cows have ample pasture access.
At the core of this agreement is a mutual dedication to farming in harmony with nature. First Milk promotes a regenerative model that requires an in-depth understanding of environmental stewardship, including the maintenance of hedgerows, rotational grazing practices, and fostering increased plant diversity.
Rob Yates, the CEO of Tom Parker Creamery, underscored the significance of sourcing from local farms: “The new partnership with First Milk allows us to support local British farms within a 90-mile radius of the creamery with a regeneratively farmed milk pool for the Tom Parker Creamery business. Our ethos has always been about producing the highest quality dairy products that are close to nature and sustain both people and planet.”
He further emphasized the traceability of the supply chain: “First Milk shares that vision. Their regenerative approach supports a fully traceable supply chain, underpinned by detailed field-level understanding of environmental impact and the adoption of nature-positive farming practices such as caring for hedgerows, rotational grazing, improving soil health and increasing plant diversity. Our partnership will allow us to scale sustainably, while continuing to balance profit with purpose.”
For First Milk, this collaboration represents an opportunity to highlight the efforts of its farmer members while fostering commercial stability through enduring partnerships with purpose-driven brands.
Fraser Brown, the commercial director for milk and ingredients at First Milk, stated: “We’re delighted to begin this partnership with Tom Parker Creamery, built on our shared commitment to responsible dairy. Everything we do starts with our farmer members, whose regenerative approach and dedication to farming with care make relationships like this possible and underpin long-term collaboration and commercial stability across the supply chain.”
The transition towards regenerative sourcing aligns seamlessly with Tom Parker Creamery’s current emphasis on minimal processing and eco-friendly packaging. The milk undergoes pasteurization as mandated by law but is never standardized, ensuring that the natural characteristics of whole milk are preserved.
This philosophy of clean labeling is also reflected in the brand’s flavored milk beverages and creams, which incorporate only natural ingredients such as fruit purées, cacao, and coffee. To further reduce the environmental impact of the final product, the core offerings are presented in recyclable, resealable glass bottles adorned with paper labels—a tribute to founder Tom Parker’s original delivery methods from the 1920s.
By merging innovative regenerative practices with traditional glass bottle heritage, this partnership strategically positions both companies to cater to the increasing consumer demand for wholesome, minimally processed dairy options that also boast a significantly reduced environmental footprint.
