Press release -
Müller Direct Next Generation dairy farmers get elite athlete face time
Müller has published details of its ‘Next Generation’ programme for 25 Müller Direct farmers – and confirmed that it will include face time with elite athletes, as part of the company’s status as Official Supporter of British Athletics and Athletics Ireland.
Müller has branding and activation rights for seven major athletics events in 2018 and 2019 and is working closely with brand ambassadors, which include, Adam Gemili and Dina Asher-Smith, on activity that brings inspiration to the dairy aisle. The farmers will spend time with athletes who will pass on their knowledge and experience of learning from setbacks, single-mindedness, resilience and desire to succeed.
Müller Direct Next Generation is a fully sponsored programme designed to develop and enhance the skills of the next generation of Müller Direct farmers in Britain.
The programme comprises a series of two day workshops held in different locations around the country and is aimed at individuals within dairy farming who are driven to progress and focus on their own professional development.
The first cohort comprises dairy farmers from as far afield as North Lanarkshire to Pembrokeshire to Dorset. Workshops include establishing business principles, leadership, managing people and potential, negotiating and managing succession.
Rob Hutchison Müller Milk Supply Director said;
“We believe that our Müller Direct Next Generation group has the potential to be Britain’s elite dairy farmers in the future so we feel that there is a real benefit in offering them the opportunity to meet and learn from today’s elite athletes.
“Equally we know that our Müller ambassador athletes have a real interest in understanding where their food comes from and how the Müller dairy products which they enjoy are made. It’s a great opportunity to have a meeting of the minds.
“The Müller Direct Next Generation programme is a further demonstration of our intent to create a supply chain from farm to customer which is collaborative and distinctive. It sits alongside a range of other initiatives designed to bring new innovation and thinking to our partnerships with dairy farmers, and they are being embraced by those who supply us.”
Frances Bell who farms in Cambridgeshire and is one of 25 farmers selected to join the Next Generation programme said;
“I am excited to have been selected to take part in the Müller Next Generation programme. It will allow me to develop new skills and give me the confidence to utilise them within my family farming business.
“In an industry often associated with working in isolation the Next Generation programme gives us the opportunity to network with other like-minded young farmers. We will be working together with Müller to help secure a successful and sustainable future for us all within the dairy industry.”
Johnnie Sloan, farming in Dumfriesshire and another successful applicant joining the programme said;
“I am delighted to be selected as part of the Next Generation group and look forward to progressing and challenging my business. By collaborating and learning from both Müller and forward thinking farmers I hope to manage the transition of our farm as we look to build a second dairy unit.”
The first Müller Direct Next Generation workshop takes place in June 2018.
Topics
Müller UK & Ireland is wholly owned by the Unternehmensgruppe Theo Müller which employs 27,500 people throughout Europe. In the UK, Müller develops, manufactures and markets a wide range of branded and private label dairy products made with milk from more than 1,700 British farmers.
The Müller brand is ranked at No.7 in The Grocer’s Top 100 list of Britain’s Biggest Brands, and is also the 7th most chosen brand in the UK, picked from shelves more than 208 million times each year. Müller UK & Ireland comprises three business units:
Müller Milk & Ingredients is Britain’s largest producer of branded and private label fresh milk, cream, butter and ingredients products, with a network of dairies and depots servicing customers throughout the country.
Müller Yogurt & Desserts is the UK’s leading yogurt manufacturer responsible for major brands like Müllerlight, Müller Corner and Müller Rice. It produces chilled desserts under licence from Mondelez International and supplies the UK private label yogurt market from a dedicated, state of the art yogurt facility.
Milk & More delivers daily essentials to more than 500,000 homes in Britain, via a network of 57 local fulfilment centres. The milkman is arguably the original home delivery service and Milk & More is ensuring that this great British tradition continues to flourish.
Müller is an Official Supporter of the British Athletics and Athletics Ireland team. With branding and activation rights for four events in 2018 and three events in 2019, Müller aims to empower consumers to make active and healthy lifestyle choices
