The Dairy Mail

The Dairy Mail https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/ Independent analysis, news and reports on the cheese and dairy sector, published by Dairy Connect. en-gb © 2026 Dairy Connect Group Ltd. 60 Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/logo-wordmark.svg The Dairy Mail https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/ The value test at both ends of the chain https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-value-test-at-both-ends-of-the-chain/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-value-test-at-both-ends-of-the-chain/ Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Brief <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/pexels-photo-5498233.webp" alt="Shopping trolley in a supermarket aisle with shelves and shoppers blurred behind it"></p><p>At the point of purchase, protein claims are losing their advantage over the wider market. In wholesale trade, Cheddar is standing still as milk becomes dearer. The processor between them faces the same test from each end of the chain</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> Protein's growth lead over the wider market has more than halved since January while wholesale Cheddar has barely moved as milk gets dearer, so the processor is squeezed from the shelf and the wholesale market at once, and cheese makers meet the margin test first.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-value-test-at-both-ends-of-the-chain/">Read the full piece</a></p> What the week returned https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/what-the-week-returned/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/what-the-week-returned/ Fri, 11 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Brief <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/pexels-photo-277276.webp" alt="Wedges and rounds of aged cheese with dark rinds stacked on a market counter"></p><p>Five implications from five days on the value question, and what the reporting still cannot show</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> Two of the three routes out of a British dairy can be compared against a declared standard every month while the third has to be argued from first principles each time; whether that changes any capital decision is still unevidenced, and each role in the chain has one thing to do about it on Monday.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/what-the-week-returned/">Read the full piece</a></p> Two routes start with a number. The third starts with an argument. https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/two-routes-start-with-a-number/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/two-routes-start-with-a-number/ Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Analysis <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/whey+dc.webp" alt="Infinity symbol formed from whey protein powder, its edges breaking into dust against a pale background"></p><p>How the two published route values are built, and what a protein project has to establish before it can be compared with either</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> No published UK or Irish indicator isolates a protein route, so a fractionation proposal has to build its own reference case as well as prove the asset, and the board's job is to test that third route with the same discipline the butter, powder and Cheddar routes already receive.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/two-routes-start-with-a-number/">Read the full piece</a></p> What is a litre worth once it leaves the farm, and who decides? https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/what-is-a-litre-worth-once-it-leaves-the-farm/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/what-is-a-litre-worth-once-it-leaves-the-farm/ Tue, 08 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Analysis <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/The_infinity_symbol_milk.webp" alt="Splash of milk frozen in the shape of an infinity symbol against an orange background"></p><p>Britain publishes a monthly value for a litre of milk routed to butter and powder, and another for Cheddar and whey. For the protein route shoppers are buying fastest, no separately published route value could be found in the UK or Ireland</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> The sector already values processing routes on declared assumptions for two routes and has considered a third product, yet the route retail demand is moving towards has no published comparator, so every fractionation paper reaching a board has been priced by its author.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/what-is-a-litre-worth-once-it-leaves-the-farm/">Read the full piece</a></p> The Invisible Factory: the value leaving dairy through its drains https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-invisible-factory-the-value-leaving-dairy-through-its-drains/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-invisible-factory-the-value-leaving-dairy-through-its-drains/ Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Analysis Water & Wastewater Yield & Efficiency Sustainability <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/Dairy+Mail+Article+3.webp" alt="Stainless steel pipework, valves, pumps and flow meters of a dairy processing skid"></p><p>Every dairy measures the milk that arrives and the product that ships. Far fewer measure what leaves through the drains, the flue and the failures in between</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> The largest untapped margin on most dairy sites is not a new product but the value already leaving as effluent, heat and yield loss; the first commercial act is to measure it.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-invisible-factory-the-value-leaving-dairy-through-its-drains/">Read the full piece</a></p> Can a dairy become its own energy company? https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/can-a-dairy-become-its-own-energy-company/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/can-a-dairy-become-its-own-energy-company/ Wed, 19 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Analysis Energy & Utilities Sustainability <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/david+kellett+image+2.webp" alt="Stainless steel balance tanks and pipework inside a dairy processing plant"></p><p>Anaerobic digestion turns dairy effluent, sludge and farm slurry into biomethane, heat and fertiliser. Is that a sideline or a strategic revenue stream?</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> Energy from waste is moving from a compliance cost to a resilience asset; the dairies that run digestion as a business line, not a bolt-on, hedge energy price and carbon at the same time.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/can-a-dairy-become-its-own-energy-company/">Read the full piece</a></p> Acid whey is not the problem. The business model is. https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/acid-whey-is-not-the-problem-the-business-model-is/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/acid-whey-is-not-the-problem-the-business-model-is/ Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Analysis Whey & Co-products Water & Wastewater Investment & Ownership <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/AdobeStock_587574660.webp" alt="Curds separating from whey around steel cutting blades in a cheesemaking vat"></p><p>The Greek yoghurt and skyr boom created a stubborn acid whey stream. The routes to value exist; a model treating it as a co-product does not.</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> Acid whey is a business-model failure, not a technical one; the value is real but stranded until processors design for a saleable co-product rather than a disposal problem.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/acid-whey-is-not-the-problem-the-business-model-is/">Read the full piece</a></p> The Smaller Plate https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-smaller-plate/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-smaller-plate/ Sat, 15 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Report <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/AdobeStock_1518597374.webp" alt="Chef in a black glove sprinkling grated cheese over a dish in a professional kitchen"></p><p>Protein is reshaping how Britain eats out, and dairy may be the sector best placed to answer the shift</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> As UK foodservice reorganises menus around protein rather than volume, dairy's natural, trusted protein story positions it to win the eating-out occasion, not just the supermarket shelf.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-smaller-plate/">Read the full piece</a></p> The Protein Pound https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-protein-pound/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-protein-pound/ Thu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Report <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/AdobeStock_362435074.webp" alt="Woman with a red shopping basket reading a milk bottle by the supermarket dairy aisle"></p><p>Protein sales are booming, but the cheapest protein on British shelves is rarely the most heavily marketed</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> The most heavily marketed protein products are typically the most expensive sources of protein on the shelf, while everyday dairy delivers more for far less.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-protein-pound/">Read the full piece</a></p> The Great Protein Race https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-great-protein-race/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-great-protein-race/ Tue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Report <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/pexels-photo-15120889.webp" alt="Scoop of protein powder being poured into a black and orange shaker bottle"></p><p>How protein moved from the gym to the weekly shop, and why that shift favours dairy</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> Consumers are not choosing the highest-protein products but those that combine protein with familiarity, convenience and trust, an advantage dairy already holds.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-great-protein-race/">Read the full piece</a></p> The next dairy growth story is cultured https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-next-dairy-growth-story-is-cultured/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-next-dairy-growth-story-is-cultured/ Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Analysis Ingredients & Cultures Consumer Trends Innovation & NPD <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/pexels-photo-6823370.webp" alt="Yoghurt bowls topped with berries, kiwi, granola and chia seeds on pink"></p><p>Why cultured dairy is moving beyond the protein number toward fermentation, texture and everyday usefulness</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> With protein claims now table stakes, fermentation expertise and culture-led texture will decide which dairy businesses keep shoppers.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-next-dairy-growth-story-is-cultured/">Read the full piece</a></p> ICDA 2026: the supreme winners at a glance https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/icda-2026-the-supreme-winners/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/icda-2026-the-supreme-winners/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 The Dairy Mail News Recognition & Awards <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/55361869808_b9ec1a8492_b-217bfb45.webp" alt="Three men holding a silver trophy cup, rosette and awards at Cheese Dairy Deli Expo"></p><p>New Zealand takes the top cheese trophy, a family dairy's milk is supreme in dairy, and Cheshire leads Britain</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> Lactalis-Mainland New Zealand won Supreme Champion Cheese, with Bourne's Cheshire the leading British entry as Reserve Supreme.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/icda-2026-the-supreme-winners/">Read the full piece</a></p> ICDA 2026: the retail and foodservice winners at a glance https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/icda-2026-the-retail-and-foodservice-winners-at-a-glance/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/icda-2026-the-retail-and-foodservice-winners-at-a-glance/ Fri, 26 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 The Dairy Mail News Recognition & Awards Retail Foodservice <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/55361907109_48777f946d_b.webp" alt="Three men holding a trophy and rosette at the Cheese Dairy Deli Expo awards backdrop"></p><p>Booths and Waitrose & Partners take the supreme retail trophies while Heler Foods doubles up in the foodservice awards</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> Waitrose & Partners dominated the 2026 retail titles with six categories, while Booths claimed Supreme Cheese Retailer.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/icda-2026-the-retail-and-foodservice-winners-at-a-glance/">Read the full piece</a></p> The provenance on the rind https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-provenance-on-the-rind/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-provenance-on-the-rind/ Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Analysis <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/pexels-photo-3693280.webp" alt="Close-up of a Parmigiano cheese wedge showing the stencilled rind markings"></p><p>Why Italy's protected DOP cheeses give UK premium buyers a stronger fixture argument than another own-label copy</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> Italy's protected DOP cheeses offer UK premium retailers a substitution barrier own-label cannot copy, provided they are ranged with discipline.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-provenance-on-the-rind/">Read the full piece</a></p> Why the ICDA Awards are more than trophies https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/why-the-icda-awards-are-more-than-trophies/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/why-the-icda-awards-are-more-than-trophies/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 The Dairy Mail News <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/54616188184_eb9670e961_b.webp" alt="Silver trophy with rosettes and glass award for Supreme Champion Dairy Product 2025"></p><p>How a win can become evidence for range reviews, export conversations and commercial growth at the EXPO in Stafford</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> The commercial value of an ICDA award lies not in the day itself but in how a producer uses it afterwards as evidence in trade conversations.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/why-the-icda-awards-are-more-than-trophies/">Read the full piece</a></p> The artisan advantage https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-artisan-advantage/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-artisan-advantage/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Analysis Artisan & Scaling Brand Retail <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/pexels-photo-8287393.webp" alt="Wheels of cheese maturing on wooden shelves in a stone-walled ageing cellar"></p><p>Why farmhouse and artisan cheese is a strategic premiumisation laboratory for British and Irish dairy, not a sentimental side act</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> Farmhouse and artisan cheesemakers punch far above their tonnage, defining reputation and premium value the wider dairy sector should treat as strategic.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-artisan-advantage/">Read the full piece</a></p> FETA PDO: provenance the buyer can verify https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/feta-pdo-provenance-the-buyer-can-verify/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/feta-pdo-provenance-the-buyer-can-verify/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Analysis Provenance & PDO Retail <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/pexels-photo-6128854.webp" alt="Chunks of crumbled white feta cheese on a blue-grey plate"></p><p>Speciality cheese is outpacing cheddar, and FETA PDO's verifiable origin gives buyers a specification rather than a slogan</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> With speciality cheese outgrowing the category and feta supply tightening, buyers should secure genuine PDO product early rather than treat it as a commodity.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/feta-pdo-provenance-the-buyer-can-verify/">Read the full piece</a></p> Cream of the crop https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/cream-of-the-crop/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/cream-of-the-crop/ Fri, 19 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Analysis <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/AdobeStock_99817784.webp" alt="Skewers of mozzarella pearls and cherry tomatoes topped with fresh basil"></p><p>How 2026's foodservice menu trends and the rise of GLP-1 medicines are opening fresh commercial opportunities for dairy and cheese suppliers</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> Dairy's foodservice growth in 2026 will come from smaller, protein-dense, provenance-led plates rather than simply larger portions.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/cream-of-the-crop/">Read the full piece</a></p> Winning the dairy floor https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/winning-the-dairy-floor/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/winning-the-dairy-floor/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 The Dairy Mail News <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/Untitled+design+-2-.webp" alt="Worker in hard hat operating a touchscreen control panel on a dairy line"></p><p>How Redzone's connected-workforce platform puts real-time data in operators' hands to lift productivity, compliance and quality on dairy lines</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> Redzone reports customers average a 26% productivity gain by equipping frontline dairy teams to spot and fix losses within the same shift.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/winning-the-dairy-floor/">Read the full piece</a></p> Q&A with Lee Pritchard, David Kellett & Partners https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/q-a-with-lee-pritchard-david-kellett-partners/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/q-a-with-lee-pritchard-david-kellett-partners/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 The Dairy Mail Interview <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/Untitled+design-9.webp" alt="David Kellett & Partners Ltd logo with green maple leaf on dark green background"></p><p>The new managing director on continuity through a management buyout, membrane technology and the value of hands-on engineering relationships</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> David Kellett and Partners is carrying trusted customer relationships and core engineering principles through its buyout while broadening beyond membrane plant into wider cheese and whey processing.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/q-a-with-lee-pritchard-david-kellett-partners/">Read the full piece</a></p> From whey stream to high-value ingredient https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/from-whey-stream-to-high-value-ingredient/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/from-whey-stream-to-high-value-ingredient/ Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 The Dairy Mail News Whey & Co-products Ingredients & Cultures <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/Dairy+Mail+Article+3.webp" alt="Stainless steel pipework, valves and pumps of dairy processing equipment"></p><p>How David Kellett and Partners engineered a 60,000-litre-per-hour membrane system recovering whey protein and reusing process water</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> Integrated ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis let processors recover high-value whey protein while returning most process water to the plant.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/from-whey-stream-to-high-value-ingredient/">Read the full piece</a></p> The customer the protein aisle forgot https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-customer-the-protein-aisle-forgot/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-customer-the-protein-aisle-forgot/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 The Dairy Mail Analysis <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/AdobeStock_261724198.webp" alt="Flat illustration of shoppers with baskets and surveillance cameras tracking a supermarket aisle"></p><p>NIQ till data shows over-65s, not Gen Z, are driving UK protein dairy growth the brands still overlook</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> The most valuable protein-dairy convert in Britain is the over-65 shopper, yet brand imagery and planograms still address someone younger.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-customer-the-protein-aisle-forgot/">Read the full piece</a></p> Forty-eight hours that helps map the category https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/forty-eight-hours-that-helps-map-the-category/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/forty-eight-hours-that-helps-map-the-category/ Fri, 05 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 The Dairy Mail Analysis <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/cheese-and-dairy-awards.webp" alt="Judges in white coats cutting and assessing large blocks of cheese at an awards bench"></p><p>The ICDA Awards and EXPO on 24-25 June concentrate the trade in one place, mapping where dairy's margin is heading</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> The two-day ICDA EXPO window offers producers, buyers and investors the year's most complete read on where category value is moving.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/forty-eight-hours-that-helps-map-the-category/">Read the full piece</a></p> Dairy Connect accelerates growth with appointment of Lynn Harte as commercial director https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/dairy-connect-accelerates-growth-with-appointment-of-lynn-harte/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/dairy-connect-accelerates-growth-with-appointment-of-lynn-harte/ Mon, 01 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 The Dairy Mail News <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/The_infinity_symbol_milk.webp" alt="Milk formed into an infinity symbol against a bright orange background"></p><p>Dairy Connect appoints Lynn Harte as commercial director, signalling the next phase of growth ahead of its October London launch</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> Lynn Harte's appointment as commercial director marks Dairy Connect's move towards its formal October 2026 launch as a connective industry platform.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/dairy-connect-accelerates-growth-with-appointment-of-lynn-harte/">Read the full piece</a></p> A legacy built on membrane expertise - and much, much more https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/legacy-built-on-membrane-expertise/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/legacy-built-on-membrane-expertise/ Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 The Dairy Mail News Processing Plant & Equipment <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/david+kellett+image+2.webp" alt="Stainless steel tanks and pipework inside a dairy processing plant"></p><p>David Kellett and Partners has grown from membrane filtration specialist to a full dairy process engineering service over three decades</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> David Kellett and Partners now delivers complete dairy process engineering, with a planned management buyout set to preserve its hands-on approach.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/legacy-built-on-membrane-expertise/">Read the full piece</a></p> 2026 the volatility year https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/2026-the-volatility-year/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/2026-the-volatility-year/ Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Analysis Market & Prices Retail <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/AdobeStock_1808230007.webp" alt="Close-up of a screen showing volatile red and green financial trend lines"></p><p>Why volatility, not recovery, will define UK dairy in 2026 and reshape the weekly shop at the shelf</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> 2026 will not be the recovery year the sector expected but the year that resets it, splitting shoppers into clearer tiers and leaving mainstream Cheddar the most exposed.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/2026-the-volatility-year/">Read the full piece</a></p> The whey forward 2026/27 https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-whey-forward-2026-27/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-whey-forward-2026-27/ Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Analysis Whey & Co-products Protein <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/AdobeStock_1102946666.webp" alt="Woman scooping chocolate protein powder from a tub beside a measuring shaker"></p><p>Five forces are now reshaping the economics of dairy, and the window to act is narrower than most boardrooms appreciate</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> UK and Irish producers who commit whey-processing capex before 2028 will capture premium margin for a decade, while those still exporting raw whey watch the value accrue elsewhere.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-whey-forward-2026-27/">Read the full piece</a></p> Retail intelligence report 2026/27 https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/retail-intelligence-report-2026-27/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/retail-intelligence-report-2026-27/ Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Report <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/AdobeStock_1699899119.webp" alt="Blurred illuminated Dairy sign above a supermarket chilled aisle"></p><p>Six trends from the 2025/26 UK grocery results cycle and what they mean for the dairy supply base</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> The UK grocery market is splitting into premium own-brand and hard discount, and a supplier's position on that barbell and inside aligned contracts will decide its 2026/27 fortunes.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/retail-intelligence-report-2026-27/">Read the full piece</a></p> The appetite was always there: inside the first Dairy Connect Ireland event https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-appetite-was-always-there-inside-the-first-dairy-connect-ireland-event/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-appetite-was-always-there-inside-the-first-dairy-connect-ireland-event/ Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 The Dairy Mail News <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/DSC04019.webp" alt="Seated conference delegates applauding on red and gold banquet chairs"></p><p>The first Dairy Connect Ireland event at BIA Innovator Campus confirmed real demand for commercial connective tissue in Irish dairy</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> Irish dairy has a genuine gap for dedicated commercial networking, and the first Dairy Connect Ireland event proved the appetite for it.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-appetite-was-always-there-inside-the-first-dairy-connect-ireland-event/">Read the full piece</a></p> The return of fat: how Jersey milk signals a structural shift in dairy demand https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-return-of-fat-how-jersey-milk-signals-a-structural-shift-in-dairy-demand/ https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-return-of-fat-how-jersey-milk-signals-a-structural-shift-in-dairy-demand/ Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Steve Moncrieff Analysis <p><img src="https://www.dairy-connect.com/assets/img/dairy-mail/AdobeStock_418946515.webp" alt="Herd of fawn Jersey cows walking towards camera across a green field"></p><p>Full-fat dairy and Jersey milk are surging as consumers reframe fat around protein, function and naturalness rather than avoidance</p><p><strong>The bottom line:</strong> The full-fat revival is a structural repositioning of dairy as naturally functional, but capturing lasting value depends on the industry's strategic alignment.</p><p><a href="https://www.dairy-connect.com/the-dairy-mail/the-return-of-fat-how-jersey-milk-signals-a-structural-shift-in-dairy-demand/">Read the full piece</a></p>