In episode 273 of the Kite Podcast, following this week’s Milk Market update from analyst Chris Walkland, we learn more about Freshways’ £25 million investment in a new processing hub in West Bromwich, set to handle up to 500 million litres of milk annually. Freshways Managing Director Bali Nijjar joins Becki and Chris to discuss the company’s growth, its farmer suppliers, and what the expansion means for the future. With many processors preparing to announce December prices, Becki, Chris, and Bali discuss the market dynamics influencing those decisions, ongoing challenges in the milk market, and what farmers can expect in the months ahead. Please note: The information provided during this podcast has been
prepared for general informational purposes only and does not constitute
advice. The information must not be relied upon for any purpose and no
representation or warranty is given as to its accuracy, completeness or
otherwise. Any reference to other organisations, businesses or products
during the podcast are not endorsements or recommendations of Dairy
Consulting Ltd or its affiliated companies. The views of the presenter
are personal and may not be the views of Dairy Consulting Ltd. The
contents of this podcast are the copyright of Dairy Consulting Ltd.
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Inspiring Change in Agriculture: Sophie Gregory's Journey and Embracing Opportunities Ahead
Let's Farm FoundationKing's Foundation
Please note: The information provided during this podcast has been prepared for general informational purposes only and does not constitute advice. The information must not be relied upon for any purpose and no representation or warranty is given as to its accuracy, completeness or otherwise. Any reference to other organisations, businesses or products during the podcast are not endorsements or recommendations of Dairy Consulting Ltd or its affiliated companies. The views of the presenter are personal and may not be the views of Dairy Consulting Ltd. The contents of this podcast are the copyright of Dairy Consulting Ltd.
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Meet the Farmers Weekly Dairy Farmer of the Year Winners: John & Nicola Young
In this week’s episode, we’re joined by the freshly crowned Farmers Weekly Dairy Farmers of the Year, Nicola and John Young. Hosts Will Evans and Ben Eagle dive into the Youngs’ remarkable journey—from starting with just 80 cows to building a thriving herd of over 500, averaging 14,000 litres and almost 1,000kg of milk solids per cow per year. Joined by Kite’s David Keiley, the conversation explores the history of their business growth, early-stage succession planning, technical herd performance, genetic strategy, key focus areas, business performance, current investments, and future plans. They also reflect on what it means to be recognised at the top of their industry—and what that recognition means to others. Sadly, there isn’t nearly as much positivity in Chris Walkland’s milk market report this week, but it’s essential listening for anyone keeping an eye on dairy trends. Please note: The information provided during this podcast has been
prepared for general informational purposes only and does not constitute
advice. The information must not be relied upon for any purpose and no
representation or warranty is given as to its accuracy, completeness or
otherwise. Any reference to other organisations, businesses or products
during the podcast are not endorsements or recommendations of Dairy
Consulting Ltd or its affiliated companies. The views of the presenter
are personal and may not be the views of Dairy Consulting Ltd. The
contents of this podcast are the copyright of Dairy Consulting Ltd.
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Navigating Dairy Costs: Trends, Investments & Insights for 2025
On this week’s podcast, there’s a very sobering milk market report from Chris Walkland following several drops announced this week. Kathryn Rowland and Marcus Doig from Kite Consulting join us to review dairy production costs and explore the trends we’re seeing in the data, including insights on investments and funding strategies. We’re also pleased to welcome southwest farmer Andrew Fry, who talks through his own investment strategy—including the economics behind adopting robotic milking and how it’s reshaped operations on his family farm.
Please note: The information provided during this podcast has been prepared for general informational purposes only and does not constitute advice. The information must not be relied upon for any purpose and no representation or warranty is given as to its accuracy, completeness or otherwise. Any reference to other organisations, businesses or products during the podcast are not endorsements or recommendations of Dairy Consulting Ltd or its affiliated companies. The views of the presenter are personal and may not be the views of Dairy Consulting Ltd. The contents of this podcast are the copyright of Dairy Consulting Ltd.
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Insights from IFCN’s Graz Conference
This week on the Kite Podcast, we dive into the heart of IFCN’s Supporter Conference in Graz, Austria, where the theme was “Making Sustainability Profitable: how to future proof the dairy industry.” We unpack the key discussions with Milica Kocić, Lead in Product Development at IFCN, and Kathryn Rowland from Kite, alongside our resident dairy market expert Chris Walkland and producer Becki Reay. Covering short-term challenges and long-term opportunities, global market trends, the future of supply and demand, insights into U.S. milk production, and emerging growth areas in dairy demand, this episode offers a comprehensive overview of the forces shaping the dairy sector. Please note: The information provided during this podcast has been
prepared for general informational purposes only and does not constitute
advice. The information must not be relied upon for any purpose and no
representation or warranty is given as to its accuracy, completeness or
otherwise. Any reference to other organisations, businesses or products
during the podcast are not endorsements or recommendations of Dairy
Consulting Ltd or its affiliated companies. The views of the presenter
are personal and may not be the views of Dairy Consulting Ltd. The
contents of this podcast are the copyright of Dairy Consulting Ltd.
Kite Consulting provide business services to the entire food supply chain, from farmer to retailer and are widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading dairy consultancy companies.
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