The Estate Dairy first found success in the indie café scene and has since grown to become a fixture in farm shops, restaurants and supermarkets
The Cheshire-based business was launched in 2016 by Rebecca and Shaun Young. Rebecca had grown up on the family farm, where she had been surrounded by British agriculture and learned to appreciate quality ingredients, while Shaun had worked in the coffee industry.
Combining their experience, the couple felt there was an opportunity to bring the craft and care of British farming into hospitality. They believed it was possible for dairy to be more than an anonymous commodity, and wanted to create products that would be used in professional kitchens while inspiring consumers at home.
The result was the launch of an unhomogenised milk, which has a layer of cream on top as the milk hasn’t been processed to break down this cream. The couple targeted the milk at independent cafés and restaurants, confident it delivered the natural sweetness, texture and balance baristas look for.
“Word spread quickly through the coffee community,” says Shaun. “The unhomogenised milk became known for creating the perfect pour – steaming cleanly, stretching evenly, and tasting rich without heaviness.”
Following the success of the milk, the couple built their own dairy to enable them to control quality and expand into other dairy categories.
Alongside the development of the range has come partnerships with a growing number of stockists including bakeries, restaurants, and farm shops across the UK.
“It is a network of like-minded businesses who share the same respect for quality and craft,” says Shaun. “The goal has always been to make flavour and craft visible again in everyday dairy.”
The Estate Dairy range is also available through multiple retailers including Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, and Ocado, but the couple insist the business has stayed true to its independent roots and decisions are made with the same care and intention that shaped its beginnings.
Expanding across dairy
Today, the product range includes a cream that is produced without homogenisation and is gently pasteurised. This cream is also churned with a bespoke lactobacillus culture to produce a cultured butter that is available in 250g salted and unsalted logs, and in 1kg unsalted plaques for pastry and viennoiserie production.
Completing the lineup is Greek-style yoghurt that this year won Gold in the 2025 Farm Shop & Deli Product Awards.
“Our Greek-style yoghurt captures everything The Estate Dairy stands for – flavour, craft and consistency – and was developed from a desire to create a British-made alternative to European yoghurts, one with depth and simplicity,” explains Shaun.
“Designed for chefs and everyday customers alike, the yoghurt has a silky mouthfeel and gentle tang that make it as satisfying eaten simply with a spoon as it is in cooking or baking,” he continues. “Its richness comes purely from the quality of the milk and the precision of the process, and we pride ourselves on having no fillers or shortcuts.”
He adds that winning the award was a moment of pride for the entire Estate Dairy team, and proof that attention to detail and doing things properly still resonates.
“For an independent dairy, it’s recognition of the farmers, makers, and craftspeople behind every pack,” says Shaun. “Awards like this also serve as another trust point for our customers. It’s a mark of quality that reflects the care and consistency we put into everything we make.”
With the business approaching its tenth year, Rebecca and Shaun are focusing on maintaining these standards while continuing to expand the range and build on its supplier and retailer partnerships.
“Every step is guided by a simple belief: that British dairy deserves to be celebrated for its flavour, its heritage, and the people behind it,” says Shaun. “It’s what drives us to keep making exceptional dairy with the respect it deserves.”
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