Middledale Foods strikes logistics deal with J R Harding & Sons to combat shortages
Specialist ingredient supplier Middledale Foods has announced a strategic service partnership with J R Harding & Sons (Frome) Ltd, part of Cube Cold, in a direct move to stabilise the UK’s volatile organic butter supply chain.
The agreement comes as the food manufacturing sector continues to grapple with severe shortages of organic butterfat, driven by a combination of declining milk volumes and high export demand from Europe.
The partnership leverages J R Harding & Sons’ organic-accredited chilled and frozen storage facilities to provide a robust sourcing solution for UK food manufacturers.
According to Middledale Foods, the move is a response to years of successive supply constraints that have seen organic milk volumes hit a five-year low. Paul Jackson, commercial director at Middledale Foods, highlighted the gravity of the current market, noting that the challenge has been intensified by a European pull, where strong consumer demand is drawing organic butterfat out of the UK and leaving domestic manufacturers short of a key ingredient. He emphasised that this shortage represents a real risk to business growth rather than just a simple inconvenience.
By partnering with J R Harding & Sons — a logistics specialist with over 50 years of experience — Middledale Foods is effectively broadening its chilled ingredient portfolio. The Somerset-based logistics firm offers a total logistics solution designed to handle the fluctuations of modern supply chains, ensuring that Middledale can maintain a resilient inventory of organic butter despite wider market instability.
This collaboration offers several critical advantages to the food trade. It provides a secure risk-mitigation route for manufacturers who rely on organic butterfat as a core ingredient, combining Middledale’s sourcing expertise with J R Harding & Sons’ BRC-accredited storage to ensure product integrity. Furthermore, it directly supports UK manufacturing by helping domestic brands — including major players like Yeo Valley, Baxters, and Arla Foods — overcome the product availability limitations that currently threaten production schedules.
Emma Boakes, general manager at J R Harding & Sons, expressed confidence in the collaboration, stating that the team is delighted to support Middledale’s ambitious plans. For the wider trade, this partnership signals a proactive shift toward partnership-led sourcing, where ingredient suppliers and logistics providers align to protect manufacturers from global market pressures.
