At least 1,000 jobs created as milk delivered to door back in demand in move driven by eco-conscious families

MILKOS are back in demand amid hopes for a big roll-out of dairy deliveries.

It is being driven by eco-conscious households who prefer glass bottles as well as those who dislike frequently dashing to the shops.

The new owners of delivery firm Milk & More are recruiting 1,000 customers a week and plan to expand its existing 700 UK rounds to cover London, West Sussex, Kent, Derbys, Herts and the West Midlands.

The price of a pint bottle in traditional foil top delivered to the doorstep by 7am costs £1.25 compared to the average 85p in a supermarket. Eggs, bread and yoghurts are also available.

The business, which traces its roots back 100 years, was sold last year by dairy giant Muller to Freshways.

It already employs 10,000 staff who deliver from 31 regional depots and sources milk from 130 British farmers. It claims its 55million reusable glass bottles, which are switched daily, save 758 tonnes of plastic.

Managing director Bali Nijjar said he wanted to “win new customers, grow the business and protect the legacy of the great British milkman one pint at a time”.

Milk & More became exclusively online in 2018, ending the tradition of leaving a note in an empty bottle.

It had been loss-making under Muller’s ownership, despite an attempt for it to widen its ranges. Recent accounts for the UK and Ireland arm of Muller revealed a £65million loss last year.

Meanwhile Nijjar Dairies, the parent company of Freshways and Milk & More, posted a rise in profits from £1million to £6.3million last year on sales of £341.4 million.

Freshways was started as a small milk wholesaler in 1990 and the family-run business has grown to become the UK’s third biggest dairy milk processor.

Mr Nijjar said: “Milk & More has been a part of British communities for decades and we’ve proved there is a new generation of families we can introduce to doorstep milk delivery.”

Food inflation to rise

BRITS are facing rising food prices yet again this year — due to the Budget piling on extra costs for grocery firms, an analyst has warned.

Consumer research chief Clive Black, from Shore Capital, previously predicted food going up by 1.5 per cent by the end of the year — but has revised the forecast to 4 per cent.

And the expert, who closely watches supply trends, says it will be caused by the new hit to payrolls instead of usual factors like energy or commodity costs.

Speaking of the months yet to come, Mr Black said: “Government policy is the prime source of grocery price appreciation, 11 Downing Street and all that.”

Mr Black also warned food inflation staying high would lower the chances of the Bank of England bringing down interest rates.

The hit to groceries would be an end of the easing felt recently, dropping from 20 per cent in 2023 to around 2 per cent by the end of 2024.

It came as surveys yesterday signalled that companies are already cutting jobs at the fastest rate since the pandemic, while 30 per cent of firms intend to hike prices to cover the £25billion Budget tax raid on business.

Supermarkets like Tesco and Sainsbury’s are now staring down new costs of hundreds of millions of pounds for National Insurance contributions.

The UK’s biggest chicken supplier, 2 Sisters Group, is reportedly trying to pass its Budget hit on to retailers.

All eyes on fresh chapter

THE boss of Waterstones has said he plans to open dozens more bookshops in the UK this year ahead of a potential stock market listing.

James Daunt, who runs both Waterstones and Barnes & Noble in the US, said the UK arm had opened 12 shops last year and plans “to do that or more in 2025”. In the US, he is plotting another 60 stores.

Bookshops have been shrugging off the wider retail gloom due to a boost from “BookTok”, with social media encouraging young people to read books and share recommendations.

Mr Daunt told the Financial Times it would be “logical” to consider a stock market listing of the combined Waterstones and Barnes & Noble book chains in London or New York.

Waterstones has been owned by hedge fund Elliott since 2018 after plans for a market flotation were scrapped.