Booths brings Strickley Farm’s organic milk to Lancashire stores
Booths has added Strickley Dairy milk to its Lancashire stores through an arrangement with Strickley Farm, which has been operated by the Robinson family for six generations. The farm has kept Dairy Shorthorn cattle since 1875, and some bloodlines in the herd have continued for more than 100 years.
The milk is made exclusively from Strickley Farm’s cattle rather than being combined with supplies from other producers. It is processed and bottled in a dedicated dairy at the farm near Kendal, allowing the product to be traced from the animals’ pasture to the finished bottle.
The relationship followed a visit by Booths chief executive Nigel Murray to learn about James Robinson’s regenerative farming methods. Murray then introduced Robinson to Booths buyer Emily Sugden, and the companies worked with James, Michelle and the wider family for about a year before the milk reached the retailer’s shelves.
Strickley Farm holds organic certification and says it has used neither artificial fertilisers nor pesticides for two decades. Its 300 acres contain old hedgerows, wildflower hay meadows with more than 100 plant species, wetlands, mature oak woodland and varied pasture. These areas provide grazing and shelter for the herd while supporting other plants and wildlife.
The farm’s cattle are a breed native to northern England and graze outside on pastures containing clover and other vegetation. The hedgerows are maintained in a traditional manner. Rooftop solar panels generate about half of the farm’s energy and also supply an electric refrigerated vehicle used for deliveries to Booths.
Emily Sugden said the project reflected Booths’ focus on product quality, provenance, traditional agricultural knowledge and care for the environment. James Robinson said processing and bottling the milk on the farm allowed it to represent the family’s cattle, land and farming methods. He described its arrival on Booths’ shelves as a significant moment for the Robinson family.
