Rachel's Organic facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Organic Dairy products |
| Founder | Rachel and Gareth Rowlands |
| Headquarters |
Glanyrafon, Aberystwyth
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Area served
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United Kingdom |
| Products | yogurt, milk, rice pudding, cream, crème fraiche |
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Number of employees
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121 |
| Parent | Lactalis |
Rachel's is a company from Wales that makes organic dairy products. It started in Aberystwyth. Local farmers founded it, and it became the United Kingdom's first officially organic dairy. Today, it is part of a French company called Lactalis.
Contents
The Story of Rachel's Organic
Rachel's Organic began on a farm in Wales. The Williams family took over Brynllys farm in Ceredigion in 1942. They started raising Guernsey cows, which are known for their rich milk.
A Family's Organic Journey
Dinah Williams, a member of the family, was very interested in farming. Her mother was the first dairy instructor at Aberystwyth University. After World War II, Dinah worked with Lady Eve Balfour. They encouraged farmers to avoid using artificial fertilisers and pesticides. This led to the creation of the Soil Association, a group that promotes organic farming.
Because of their beliefs, Brynllys farm became one of the first farms to join the Soil Association in 1952. This made it the first certified organic dairy farm in the UK. In 1966, Dinah handed the farm over to her daughter, Rachel, and her son-in-law, Gareth Rowlands. At this time, they were selling their special organic milk to a milk board.
From Farm to Famous Story
In the mid-1980s, a writer for BBC Radio 4 visited Brynllys farm. This visit inspired a story in a popular radio show called The Archers. In the show, characters Pat and Tony Archer decided to "go organic" on their farm, just like Rachel's family.
In 2009, a book called They Dared to Make a Difference was published. It told the story of three generations of the family at Brynllys farm.
How Rachel's Dairy Began
The company started because of a big snowstorm in 1982. Heavy snow stopped milk tankers from reaching the farm. This meant the Rowlands family had to find other ways to use their milk.
Making Products from Milk
Rachel and Gareth used an old butter churn to make cream and butter by hand. When the snow finally cleared, they realized people really liked their homemade dairy products. This gave them the idea to make more.
Rachel started looking for old recipes, including how to make yogurt. In 1984, the Rachel’s Dairy brand was officially born. The company's products were made right there on Brynllys farm.
Growing Bigger
Between 1985 and 1990, the company grew a lot. They needed more space to make their products. So, they built a special dairy building in Glanyrafon, Aberystwyth.
Rachel's Today
In 1999, a company from the United States called Horizon Organic bought Rachel's for £1.5 million. This was Horizon Organic's only business in the UK. Later, in 2004, Horizon was bought by Dean Foods, a large dairy company from the USA.
Name Changes and New Owners
In 2009, the company changed its name from Rachel's Organic to just Rachel's. However, all their products still remained organic. They continued to make milk, butter, rice pudding, cream, crème fraiche, and many types of yogurts. In 2019, the name changed back to Rachel's Organic.
In 2010, Dean Foods sold Rachel's to a Belgian company called BSA International. This company is part of the French group Lactalis. Lactalis then took over running Rachel's. Since then, Rachel's has moved the production of its rice puddings to France.
In 2012, Rachel's became part of Lactalis Nestlé Chilled Dairy (LNCD). This is a joint company between Lactalis (who owns 60%) and Nestlé (who owns 40%).
Awards and Recognition
Rachel's has won many awards for its tasty products and new ideas. These include Great Taste awards and Wales the True Taste awards.
- In 2007, Rachel's was named one of Britain’s most environmentally friendly brands.
- In 2009, it was given "Coolbrand" status in the UK.
- In July 2010, Rachel's won eight awards at the Royal Welsh Show for its dairy products.
- Rachel's also received a Gold award at the Wales the True Taste Food & Drink Awards 2010 for its Wholemilk Gooseberry Yogurt.
Products You Can Find
- Yogurt
- Milk
- Rice pudding (made in France)
- Cream
- Crème fraiche
See also
