Farmers have revealed full fat “gold top” Jersey milk is selling at its highest rate for almost 50 years.
Ocado says sales of the milk were more than 200 per cent higher in February compared to the same time last year, while Tesco reports selling three million more litres last year than in 2023.
The milk is well known for indulgent creamy taste, however consumers have recently been drawn to the milk’s natural protein and calcium content.
However, a spokesman from Tesco noted that the rise in demand was also part of a wider revival in sales of full-fat dairy amid changing perspectives about the role of natural fat in diets.
Tesco’s milk buyer Christos Tsakalos told The Times: “Jersey milk is having a major moment again, as is full-fat dairy in general, with younger shoppers looking for naturally functional foods that can offer them health benefits, especially as a source of protein.”
Nutritionist and author Sophie Gastman said the rise in popularity of Jersey Milk could be down to changing attitudes towards natural fats.
She said: “Previously, we assumed that all saturated fat behaves the same way in the body but now we know that’s a bit too simplistic, especially when it comes to dairy.
Jersey milk has seen a resurgence (file pic)
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She continued: “Dairy comes as a whole package, it’s got fat, protein, calcium and, in the case of things like cheese and yoghurt, you’ve also got the live cultures.
“That package is seen to change how dairy affects cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar.
So something like a slice of cheese or a glass of full-fat milk is not going to act the same way as a spoonful of butter, even if the fat content is the same.”
Jersey Cattle are reared across the country
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In the post-war years in Britain, Jersey milk became a prized luxury due to its creamy taste, used in hot chocolate and porridge as an occasional treat.
However, by the late 1970s, it had fallen out of fashion, with shoppers instead choosing semi-skimmed and skimmed milk.
Recently, health influences on platforms such as TikTok have been recommending Jersey milk as a healthier substitute to semi-skimmed.
Yalda Alaoui, a nutritionist who runs the Eat Burn Sleep TikTok, recommended the milk, adding: “You don’t want to go for the low-fat options because low fat means high sugar and higher in lactose.”
Lewis Welsh, who runs the Superhuman Diet account on Instagram, recommended the drink to his followers, saying it was better for the skin and gut.
Graham’s, based in Stirlingshire, which has produced its branded Gold Jersey milk for 18 years, says its sales rose by 40 per cent in the past year.
Robert Graham, who owns the business, suggested he wasn’t surprised by the rise in popularity in Jersey Milk.
He said: “They say what goes around comes around and that is certainly the case with Jersey milk. People are rediscovering its natural goodness. It is naturally creamier, 18 per cent higher in protein and 20 per cent higher in calcium than regular milk.”