Doddington Dairy

Producer: Doddington Dairy, Northumberland
Product: Doddington Dairy Raspberry Fruity Bottom Yogurt and Doddington Dairy Heather Honey Ice Cream
Region: North East 
Category: From the Dairy (Artisan)

What they do
Based in Northumberland’s Glendale Valley, family farm Doddington Dairy produces a range of products from their dairy herd’s milk. The farm diversified into cheese production 22 years ago and in 2000 Neill and Jackie Maxwell launched a range of ice cream, followed by a luxury yogurt line in 2015.  

Doddington’s yogurt and ice cream is made using simple ingredients of the finest quality, sourced locally where possible, and includes milk from their herd of friesian holstein, ayrshire and montbéliarde cows – provenance is key. The business also supports children’s countryside days in the valley and further afield in the Scottish Borders, where kids are educated about where their food comes from.
Operating in a rural and underprivileged area, Doddington Dairy is proud to create sustainable jobs for the region both on the farm and throughout the food supply chain, employing around 20 people.
The dairy is passionate about supporting other local businesses, customers and the wider region. Neill and Jackie have fostered relationships with many producers and showcase neighbour WS Robson’s Chain Bridge Honey in their Heather Honey Ice Cream and Alnwick Rum in their Alnwick Rum Truffle Ice Cream.
Bespoke flavours have been produced to promote local places, such as Coconut and Pineapple Sage in celebration of the opening of concert venue The Sage Gateshead, and a Roman range of ice creams allow businesses along Hadrian’s Wall to reflect the tastes of foods that the Ancient Romans may have eaten.
The team say, “We hope that by creating unique food products representative of our local area, it will add to the visitor experience and help encourage people to return to the North East”.

What the judges said:
The judges commended Doddington Dairy’s passion and innovation in farming, and were impressed with the provenance of their products to the extent of naming the farm where the raspberries come from. One judge praised the dairy as “rooted in the farm and committed to the region”.

Visit the website:  doddingtondairy.co.uk