Directors at Acorn Dairy, Caroline and Graham Tweddle with their cattle

North East dairy producer, Acorn Dairy has worked with two well-known local coffee brands to launch an innovative new milk product aimed at the high-end barista trade.

Inspired from conversation with nationally recognised champion barista Joe Meagher of Flat Caps Coffee, and with developmental support from Rounton Coffee Roasters, Acorn has produced a milk blended for silky-smooth and long-lasting micro foam, that has an optimised fat and protein ratio. The product has launched on a national level with particular focus on the North East, Manchester, and London.

Joe Meagher said: “I’m very conscious of my business’ eco footprint and keen to use organic milk. I’ve been to see the cows at Acorn and have served organic milk to Flat Caps customers since 2010. My first conversation with Caroline about tailoring Acorn’s organic milk for barista needs was back in January.

Acorn Dairy Barista Milk

“I wanted a milk that would optimise the coffee presentation with great latte art and micro foam while also allowing for the delicious coffee flavours to work well with the milk, rather than be masked by it. The milk that Acorn Dairy has come up with here does that perfectly and I’m very excited to use it day to day at Flat Caps.”

The Barista Milk is batch tested for micro foam consistency and the final composition was perfected over several weeks with repeat visits to hand-picked, admired coffee house customers, following extensive product testing at Rounton Coffee Roasters’ The Granary.

Acorn’s Sales and Distribution Director, Caroline Bell said: “We are always keen to explore new and exciting ways to develop our dairy products. As a family business we’re truly passionate about every aspect of the milk, from our organic status to the way we care for the cows, through to the level of service offered by our delivery teams.

“It was great to have a conversation with someone of Joe’s standing and we’re so grateful to him for bringing this to our attention, to Rounton Coffee Roasters and also to Lucy Spence, new owner of Hobo in Yarm, for their help and support in bringing Acorn Barista Milk to life.”

Acorn Dairy is also providing milk for the forthcoming Flat Caps Latte Art Competition in Newcastle on June 22nd, by providing its Barista Milk for the event. The overall winner will receive a cash prize of £1,000 and 100 per cent of all entry fees are being donated to Flat Caps’ chosen charity, Chicchi di Caffe, a not-for-profit organisation that aims to provide healthcare, safety, education and love to children who experience disability, domestic abuse, neglect and extreme poverty in Ghana.

A coffee being made with Acorn Dairy’s Barista Milk

Acorn is an organic producer dedicated to high welfare and environmental standards. All of the dairy products are chemical free with no routine antibiotics given and an estimated 50 per cent more wildlife on the farm. Its Dairy Shorthorn cows are known to produce nutritionally higher quality milk due to grazing organic grass, rich in clover and herb leys in the Yorkshire and Northumbria Dales.

Acorn Dairy is a past winner of Northern Dairy Farmer of the Year, Soil Association Best Dairy, Best Dairy Supplier in the England Food Awards and has a Compassion in World Farming Good Dairy Award for high cow and calf welfare, in addition to its organic credentials.

For more information on Acorn Dairy see www.acorndairy.co.uk.

Twitter: @ac0rndairy

Issued for & on behalf of Harvey & Hugo