Council celebrates Bidlea Dairy’s farm-to-bottle success story

Cheshire East Council visited Bidlea Dairy near Holmes Chapel last week, to celebrate the success of one of the borough’s most innovative farm-to-bottle businesses.

The visit formed part of the council’s Made in Cheshire East campaign, highlighting businesses that are growing the local economy while showcasing the borough’s strong agricultural heritage.

Located at The Orchards Farm in Twemlow, Bidlea Dairy is a third generation family business, which has been run by the Brown family for more than 40 years. From humble beginnings with just 20 cows, the farm has grown to an almost 1,000-strong herd of award winning Holstein Friesians. 

During the visit, council leaders met members of the Brown family to learn more about how the business has developed, combining traditional farming expertise with a modern, customer focused approach.

At the heart of Bidlea Dairy’s success is its farm to bottle model, with milk produced, processed and bottled on-site. This helps ensure freshness, reduces food miles and strengthens local supply chains, while giving customers full traceability from field to finished product. 

The business has also grown into a popular destination, with a farm shop, café and a range of award winning ice creams made using milk from its own herd. Bidlea Dairy places strong emphasis on sustainability and animal welfare, with initiatives including reusable milk bottle schemes and environmentally responsible land management.

Councillor Nick Mannion, leader of Cheshire East Council, said:

“Bidlea Dairy demonstrates how our rural businesses are continuing to innovate and adapt, adding value locally while maintaining high standards of quality and sustainability.

“It’s a great example of how a long established family farm can evolve into a thriving, modern business while staying true to its roots.”

Councillor Michael Gorman, deputy leader of Cheshire East Council, said:

“Places like Bidlea give people a real reason to explore Cheshire East – whether that’s enjoying local produce, supporting independent businesses or experiencing our countryside at its best.

“The visit really highlighted the pride, passion and hard work that goes into creating such high quality produce right on our doorstep.”

Adam Brown, founder and owner of Bidlea Dairy, said:

“We’re proud to produce high-quality milk here in Cheshire and to see the business grow while staying true to our family values. It was a pleasure to welcome council leaders and give them a taste of what we do.”

As well as producing milk, cream and ice cream, Bidlea Dairy works closely with other local producers and attractions, supporting Cheshire East’s food and drink sector and wider visitor economy, helping to showcase the very best of what the borough has to offer. 

Our dedicated web page has more information about the Made in Cheshire East campaign where you can discover other local success stories.