A NEW on-farm milk and dairy vending franchise – Golden Hooves – is being launched later this month by dairy co-op First Milk.

Creating a new platform for sales direct to consumers from First Milk members, the business will launch its first site in Derbyshire, with long-term plans to have sites across the UK.

Golden Hooves promises to provide consumers with 'quality, ethical and sustainable produce that they can trust', accessed locally, from self-serve machines based on the farms where the fresh milk is produced.

The brand name is intended to make the connection with regenerative agriculture, representing the role livestock play in improving soil health, building organic matter and sequestering carbon, whilst supporting crop growth through nutrient cycling.

First Milk chief executive, Shelagh Hancock, said: “We know that consumer interest in food provenance is growing and that consumers want to shop locally knowing that food has been produced in a way that protects and enhances animal welfare, mitigates climate change and improves biodiversity.

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"As a co-operative, we have committed to net zero by 2040, launched a regenerative agriculture programme at scale and our members have committed to providing access to pasture for their cows – all things that consumers care about.

“The launch of Golden Hooves builds on this, allowing us to communicate directly with the public about how we are enriching life every day whilst working to secure the future and giving them the opportunity to shop directly from our earth-regenerating farms.

“It will also offer members that are interested an opportunity to diversify their farming businesses in an easily accessible, supported way and will provide returns for all members as we start to sell our products to a wider audience.”