Express Dairies

Company History: Express Dairies is a former brand of Dairy Crest, that specialised almost entirely in home deliveries of milk, and other dairy products.

The company was founded by George Barham in 1864 as the 'Express County Milk Supply Company,' so named as they only used express trains to get their milk to London. The company had two major creamery and bottling plants in London. The first was located just south of South Acton railway station on the North London Line. This gave easy and equal access for milk trains from both the Great Western Railway and the Southern Railway. The second was located at the company's headquarters in Cricklewood, adjacent to the station. This had railway access for milk trains from the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.

Express Dairies announced a joint venture in Northern Ireland with Golden Vale plc in November 2000, that created Dale Farm Dairies Ltd, although that was sold in October 2001. Express Dairies disposed of its UHT business and Frome creamery in July 2002.

Following a period of poor profitability, the business was acquired in March 2003 by Arla Foods, who in turn sold it on to Dairy Crest in July 2006. Dairy Crest sold its deliveries business to Creamline Dairies in July 2013, and its milk processing business to Germany's Müller in December 2015.

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