Dairy co-operative OMSCo wins at Food and Farming Industry Awards

To collect the award on behalf of OMSCO Nicolas Saphir, executive chairman, Lyndon Edwards, deputy chairman
To collect the award on behalf of OMSCO Nicolas Saphir, executive chairman, Lyndon Edwards, deputy chairman

Leading organic dairy cooperative, OMSCo (the Organic Milk Suppliers Cooperative), has won the prestigious Food Chain Marketing Award, an annual accolade promoted by Grove House Publishing, and presented at the House of Commons.

The award, sponsored by Merial Animal Health, was awarded to highlight OMSCo’s pro-active and highly successful work within marketing – which in a year of low milk prices across the dairy industry, has resulted in an above average and secure income for its 250 farmer members.

OMSCo is the only European dairy company producing dairy products to certified USDA standards, and has continued to build long-term relationships with the world’s largest organic dairy cooperative, Organic Valley, in the US.

Today OMSCo manages over 250 million litres of organic milk, which accounts for 65% of the total organic milk supply in the UK.

The award organisers – publishers of Farm Business Magazine and Dairy Update – applauded OMSCo’s approach to market development both domestically and globally, highlighting their ability to build strategic partnerships with leading processors and customers who share similar values.

“They have utilised the strengths of these partners to build sustainable and profitable joint market opportunities,” says Alan Whibley, publisher of the titles. “The export markets will account for a fifth of their business in this year, up 40% on 2014, and their ability to work within a global market sets an example for all in the dairy industry.”

This is another leading award for the cooperative in 2015, with several of its members already gaining recognition for their innovative and sustainable approaches within the farming sector.

“This is the award to win,” says OMSCo chairman Nicholas Saphir. “We are delighted that our business and marketing approach has been recognised by the wider industry.

“OMSCo is a highly successful dairy cooperative, and we are absolutely over the moon with this result. We will share the success with all our members, and keep exploring all opportunities out there in the global market place.”

The award was presented to Nicholas Saphir and to deputy chairman Lyndon Edwards at the House of Commons on Friday evening (December 11).