​The Journey of Milk: From Farm to Bottle

We all love an icy-cold glass of fresh milk, or a jug poured generously over our morning cornflakes, but how exactly does this nutritious drink travel from the farm to the glass milk bottles we have in our fridge? This is a journey of care and control, and it's one that ties in with our passion for glass bottles! Let's take a closer look.

Milking process on the farm

The milking process on a farm depends on the type of farm it is, for example, organic or even raw. Ultimately, the main driver is safety and efficiency, especially for industrial grade production. Most farms are highly technology-driven, meaning that cows are milked with vacuum cups attached to their teats. The milk flows through stainless steel pipes to large chilled vats, where it is stored at 5C or less.

Transportation and refrigeration

Within 48 hours, it will then be transported in tankers to a factory, where it will be pasteurised (heated to 72C for at least 15 seconds and immediately cooled. This destroys harmful bacteria and extends shelf life.)

Bottling process

Milk is treated in various processes when it is in the factory, depending on the desired end product. For example, most modern milks are homogenised, which results in a consistent product. When milk is homogenised, it is fired through fine nozzles at pressure to disperse the natural fats. This prevents cream from rising to the top, and keeps the texture and taste of the milk consistent. Some producers avoid this stage now, however, and simply bottle milk so that the fat does separate and float to the top, in the way that you might remember from childhood. Some Wares customers might remember glass milk bottles with foil tops on their doorstep in the morning, with signs that small birds had tried to peck through the foil - often successfully - for a taste of the cream!

Increasingly, customers want milk that is organic and as natural as possible, and this means reducing as many technological interventions as possible, for example, ultra centrifugal separation to remove fat for skimmed milk, or spray drying to make powdered milk. Some customers also now want to buy raw milk, especially if they remember this creamy treat from childhood or are interested in the health benefits. This is becoming more widely available and allows some dairy farms to milk and bottle at source and sell their products directly to the public.

Benefits of glass over plastic for milk storage

Milk bottles tend to be glass bottles because this material is perfect for food and drink storage. Unlike plastic, a glass bottle is free from chemicals and unwanted odours, which can otherwise leach into food contents. Glass milk bottles can also be endlessly recycled, making them a more sustainable choice.

For producers, glass bottles are affordable and surprisingly robust, as anyone who has experienced a leaking plastic milk carton will tell you. They also look great and have a certain appeal to customers who love the appearance and taste of fresh, natural farm milk, especially from local sources. This kind of more natural, local and considered milk production can be beneficial for the environment, and customers are keen to pay more for sustainable and quality practices, from the way that cow herds are fed, for example, with grass for grass-fed milk, butter and cream, to the way that milk is bottled in natural glass, with foil tops. Nothing beats the appearance and flavour of a chilled bottle of fresh milk in a glass bottle on the door step. It really is the perfect way to start your day.

Buy Glass Milk Bottles at Wares

We have a fantastic range of glass bottles at Wares, whether you want a glass bottle to decant your cardboard carton of milk into for breakfast, or you're making ice cream milkshakes to give to the kids.

We sell directly to customers who like to have a milk glass bottle on hand for home use, but we also sell to small-scale farms and producers who are keen to produce the highest-quality products that they know customers will pay for. Because we have our own warehouse, we can ship bulk sizes of glass milk bottles so that our customers enjoy excellent discounts for each glass bottle unit cost, along with highly competitive delivery rates and fast service.

You can see the full range of our glass bottles here!

We're constantly updating our glass bottle range with different sizes, styles and lids too, so there's something for everyone. We hope you love our products and our prices, and we know from years in the business that you love our service! Please do contact the team with any queries that you might have about our glass milk bottles or any other glass jars or bottles on sale at Wares and we will be delighted to assist.