Click into a web site for your pinta
Click into a web site for your pinta
YORKSHIRE dairy farmer Jeremy Holmes is fighting back against the dominance of the big supermarket. He is selling doorstep pintas on the Internet
He got his first order for a dot-com bottle of milk within five hours of going on-line. "Over 3000 people clicked into our web site within two weeks," said Jeremy, of Delph House Farm, Denby, near Huddersfield.
Jeremy believes the Internet will end years of declining doorstep sales, generating fresh interest in the service. "Selling on-line is set to boom, 10% of consumers are using it already. As the new generation gets accustomed to home deliveries again the milkman will become popular. Customers just log on and a bottle of milk can be in the fridge within 24 hours of leaving the cow."
Jeremy, who runs a 101ha (250-acre) family diary farm with his father Philip, set up the web site with his cousin Mark. It promotes milk and describes the service available, the different types of bottling, other farm and dairy products on offer and has forms for ordering and reference details.
"Customers no longer have to stick a note in an empty bottle if they want an extra pint. Just e-mail us," said Jeremy. "If they go on holiday and forget to cancel or want an extra pint for when they return they will be able to get in touch with us from anywhere in the world."
The farm supplies 16 milkmen who deliver to several thousand customers within a l5 mile radius. Initially they want to increase trade in this area not by taking business from other independent producer/ processors but through competition with the supermarkets.
"If any other dairy farmers want to team up with us on the Internet we will welcome them," said Mark. "We hope to revitalise milk retailing and offer something different to the consumer. The more who join us the better and more comprehensive service we can provide."
A computer in the firms office will enable Jeremy to monitor and respond to e-mails daily. New customers will get telephone confirmation of their orders.
Tom Montgomery
Inquiries: www.yorkshiremilk.co.uk
Tel: (01226 762551)
Lot of bottle: Its dot.com for Jeremy Holmes and his milk.