Jonny Slack, a 36-year-old dairy farmer at Dolphenby Farm in Cumbria, expresses his fondness for mornings. His day typically kicks off at five in the morning, starting with milking and ensuring the cows are well-fed and content before a quick breakfast around 8 am.
Dolphenby Farm is a key supplier of milk for Nestlé’s Nescafé range of frothy coffees, produced just 20 miles away at the Dalston factory. Jonny emphasizes that the key to producing high-quality milk lies in providing the cows with high-quality grass and soil, which Cumbria excels at growing.
Jonny and his farm co-manager, Robert Craig, attribute much of their success to the longstanding 21-year partnership with Nestlé and First Milk, a British farmer-owned dairy co-operative. This partnership is unique, well-funded, and has supported Dolphenby in transitioning towards regenerative farming practices.
Robert highlights Dolphenby’s recent focus on soil health and biodiversity, moving away from heavy reliance on chemical fertilizers. Jonny echoes the importance of regenerative farming, emphasizing the symbiotic relationship between farming, nature, soil health, cow well-being, and community welfare.
While Robert comes from a lineage of farmers, Jonny, despite not having a farming background, has established himself in the industry, gradually becoming a stakeholder at Dolphenby where he resides with his wife, Lucy, and their three-year-old daughter, Neave.
Jonny describes Dolphenby as an ideal environment for their daughter to grow up, sharing her joy in caring for pet sheep, feeding calves, and enjoying outdoor activities. Lucy, who works off the farm full-time, plays a crucial role in supporting Jonny and the farm operations, emphasizing the collaborative and family-oriented nature of farming.
As consumers enjoy their morning Nescafé Latte, they can take pride in knowing that the milk in their beverage originates from UK farms like Dolphenby, where cows graze on nutrient-rich soil, contributing to the production of healthy and sustainable dairy products.