Express Dairies
Encyclopedia
Express Dairies is a subsidiary of Dairy Crest
, specialising almost entirely in home deliveries of milk and other dairy products.
citizen and ex-US Navy sailor Patrick Galvani had been studying retailing before coming to the UK, particularly supermarkets. Galvani made a pitch to the board, which resulted in Britain's first supermarket opening in Streatham
, South London
in 1951 under the Premier Supermarket brand. While the average British retailer was taking £98/week, the average take at Premier was £1,000/week. The company developed an estate footprint of similar 2500 ft2+ retail outlets, all under the Premier Supermarkets brand. In 1960, in attempt to develop a national footprint, Galvani made a pitch to the board to buy northern based Irwin's 212 stores, but they refused to back him; Jack Cohen
of Tesco
subsequently bought the chain. After Galvani resigned over a dispute to take Green Shield Stamps
, in 1964 the chain was sold to Unilever
's Mac Fisheries
chain for £1million. The cash income allowed Express to develop and launch marketing for long-life milk.
in 1969, and sold again in 1991 to Northern Foods
who demerged it in 1998.
A period of acquisition and disposal then occurred, where by it:
who in turn sold it on to Dairy Crest
in July 2006. It still operates under the name Express Dairies.
Dairy Crest
Dairy Crest Group plc is a major dairy products company in the United Kingdom. Its brands include Cathedral City Cheddar cheese, Utterly Butterly, Vitalite, Clover, St Ivel and Frijj. The company delivers milk to around 1.1 million households via their milkmen...
, specialising almost entirely in home deliveries of milk and other dairy products.
History
The company was founded by George Barham in 1864 as the Express County Milk Supply Company, named after the fact that they only used express trains to get their milk to London.Premier Supermarkets
Post war, Britain was changing. The chairman's new son-in-law, AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
citizen and ex-US Navy sailor Patrick Galvani had been studying retailing before coming to the UK, particularly supermarkets. Galvani made a pitch to the board, which resulted in Britain's first supermarket opening in Streatham
Streatham
Streatham is a district in Surrey, England, located in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is situated south of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
, South London
South London
South London is the southern part of London, England, United Kingdom.According to the 2011 official Boundary Commission for England definition, South London includes the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Kingston, Lambeth, Lewisham, Merton, Southwark, Sutton and...
in 1951 under the Premier Supermarket brand. While the average British retailer was taking £98/week, the average take at Premier was £1,000/week. The company developed an estate footprint of similar 2500 ft2+ retail outlets, all under the Premier Supermarkets brand. In 1960, in attempt to develop a national footprint, Galvani made a pitch to the board to buy northern based Irwin's 212 stores, but they refused to back him; Jack Cohen
Jack Cohen (Tesco)
Sir John Edward Cohen , born Jacob Edward Kohen and commonly known as Jack Cohen, was a British businessman who founded the Tesco supermarket chain.-Career:...
of Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
subsequently bought the chain. After Galvani resigned over a dispute to take Green Shield Stamps
Green Shield Stamps
Green Shield Stamps were a sales promotion or incentive loyalty scheme using trading stamps, designed and deployed in the United Kingdom and Ireland to encourage or reward shopping, by being able to buy gifts...
, in 1964 the chain was sold to Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
's Mac Fisheries
Mac Fisheries
Mac Fisheries was a branded United Kingdom retail chain of fish mongers, founded by William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme, the co-founder with his brother of Lever Brothers, which later merged to become Unilever.-Isle of Lewis:...
chain for £1million. The cash income allowed Express to develop and launch marketing for long-life milk.
Grand Metropolitan and demerger
Acquired by Grand MetropolitanGrand Metropolitan
Grand Metropolitan plc is a former United Kingdom-based company operating hotels, holiday centres, entertainment centres, public houses and casinos...
in 1969, and sold again in 1991 to Northern Foods
Northern Foods
Northern Foods Ltd is a British food manufacturer headquartered in Leeds, England. It was formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE SmallCap Index. The company was scheduled to merge with Greencore Group in 2011 to form Essenta Foods, the group being...
who demerged it in 1998.
A period of acquisition and disposal then occurred, where by it:
- 1999: acquired a 51% stake in Claymore Dairies Ltd (Scotland) for £2.2 million
- February 1999: acquired Star Dairies Food Service Ltd. and certain assets of Star Dairies International Ltd for £3.5 million
- June 1999: acquired the UK liquid milk operations of Glanbia plc for £100 million.
- August 1999: acquired the share capital of Blakes Chilled Distribution Ltd. for £3 million.
- November 2000: announced a 50/50 partnership in Northern IrelandNorthern IrelandNorthern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
with Golden Vale PLC to create Dale Farm Dairies Limited. - October 2001: announced the sale of Dale Farm Dairies Limited to Dromona Quality Foods Limited.
- July 2002: disposed of its UHT business and FromeFromeFrome is a town and civil parish in northeast Somerset, England. Located at the eastern end of the Mendip Hills, the town is built on uneven high ground, and centres around the River Frome. The town is approximately south of Bath, east of the county town, Taunton and west of London. In the 2001...
creamery.,
Arla Foods/Dairy Crest
Following a period of poor profitability, it was acquired in 2003 by Arla FoodsArla Foods
Arla Foods is a Swedish-Danish cooperative based in Århus, Denmark, and the largest producer of dairy products in Scandinavia. Arla Foods was formed as the result of a merger between the Swedish dairy cooperative Arla and the Danish dairy company MD Foods on 17 April 2000.Arla Foods is the seventh...
who in turn sold it on to Dairy Crest
Dairy Crest
Dairy Crest Group plc is a major dairy products company in the United Kingdom. Its brands include Cathedral City Cheddar cheese, Utterly Butterly, Vitalite, Clover, St Ivel and Frijj. The company delivers milk to around 1.1 million households via their milkmen...
in July 2006. It still operates under the name Express Dairies.