Our Cow Molly is the last dairy farm in Sheffield that processes and bottles its own milk. In a unique partnership never seen before in the University sector, Our Cow Molly now supplies all 17 of the University’s cafes and bars, as well as our hotels, conferencing and catering service.
We have been working with Our Cow Molly and supplying its milk and ice cream since 2010 after visiting their dairy farm in Dungworth, Sheffield. The Our Cow Molly dairy is family run and started in 1947, going back three generations. Two thirds of the milk produced on the farm used to be sold to a large distributor, but fierce competition amongst supermarkets meant the farm was losing money and under threat of closure. Forced to diversify into other areas, the dairy started producing ice cream in 2007 and the brand ‘Our Cow Molly’ was born.
As a result of the agreement with the University, Our Cow Molly has been able to borrow and invest in a new state-of-the-art dairy and secure a sustainable supply of milk to the University and to Sheffield as a whole.
The University now receives the freshest milk delivery in the UK, with the milk travelling only four miles from the cow to the coffee shop on the very same day. By purchasing locally, every penny from the milk remains in Sheffield, benefitting the local economy and community, and by using a local supplier, the University’s carbon footprint and environmental impact is also minimised.
Our partnership not only supports the local community and sustainable dairy farming, it brings many added benefits. Locally produced milk has a nutritional value to our students and improves the quality of our products. As milk ages, its nutrition and flavour decline. The protein in milk is the key ingredient to a silky smooth latte or cappuccino. As soon as the milk leaves the cows the protein depletes, so the time between cow and coffee makes a huge difference in both the appearance and taste of the drink.
Colleagues from The University of Sheffield along with Edward Andrew from Our Cow Molly and Nick Clegg, then Deputy Prime Minister, following a victory at the Countryside Alliance Awards.
Our partnership has been recognized nationally, supporting the industry and the campaign for sustainable dairy farming, from being featured on BBC Countryfile to winning the BBC Food & Farming Future Food Award in April 2016.
Our Cow Molly owner Eddie Andrew said, “Without the support of the University of Sheffield we wouldn’t have had the confidence to invest in our new dairy and it would just have been a matter of time until the current dairy was unable to continue any longer and close. If all our milk was sold to the big processors, a small farm like ours wouldn’t be viable.”
Our Cow Molly’s expansion facilitated by the University has resulted in the creation of new jobs and the farm has grown from a family business of six people to one that employs 22 people and is now a visitor attraction with a Farm Shop and ice cream parlour open to the general public.