The Dairy entered into an expanded contract with Waitrose last year, which means that Guernsey butter is now for sale in more of its UK stores, and this helped to drive a 6% growth in total butter sales during 2025, which the States Accounts credited for helping the Dairy to move back into a revenue surplus for the first time in several years.
Sales were up again over the first half of the year, by 2.5%, but it is not the only local dairy product enjoying growing popularity.
In the first six months of 2026 total ice- cream sales were 9% up on the same period last year, largely due to a 39% increase in sales of individual tubs.
Operations director at the Dairy, Andrew Tabel, welcomed the increase in business, but said there was more of a mixed picture around sales of liquid milk.
‘Sales of full cream milk have grown by more than 30% since 2019, increasing by around 200,000 litres to approximately 775,000 litres per year.
‘By contrast, low-fat milk, which still accounts for around two-thirds of our total sales, has declined gradually in line with trends seen across the UK. Low-fat milk sales fell 1.5% year-on-year, while skimmed milk sales increased by 1%.
‘We are seeing continued demand for full cream dairy products as consumers increasingly look for foods with simple, recognisable ingredients and a clear relationship to local producers. This reflects a wider trend seen both locally and the UK, where some consumers are moving back towards more natural and minimally processed foods.’
The impact of changing sales patterns on the Dairy’s financial performance will not be recognised until its 2026 accounts are released next year, but Mr Tabel said he was upbeat about the continued appeal of local dairy products to the modern-day consumer.
‘All our milk is locally produced and completely natural. It’s not homogenised or ultra‑filtered, so it keeps its full nutritional profile, and being close to the farms means short transport distances, which reduces food miles and minimises environmental impact.
‘Every carton is traceable to local, RSPCA-assured farms that maintain high animal welfare standards. The same preference for high-quality local dairy products is also driving growth in our ice-cream range.’
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