An artisanal dairy that makes both lifestyle and financial sense

Running a boutique dairy comes with certain benefits: a smaller herd to manage, and the opportunity to hone your craft and make high-quality products. However, with a business this size, staying viable requires hard work and careful bookkeeping. Grant Warren spoke to Lindi Botha about how he runs his artisanal dairy.

- Lindi Botha

Preston Farm, home to La Petite France dairy, is situated just outside Howick in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. It is the picture of countryside perfection, with cattle grazing in lush, flower-dotted pastures, and pathways winding between old oak trees and milking sheds.

The renowned Karkloof Farmers' Market can also be found at the entrance to the farm, providing patrons with a tranquil view of the surroundings as they tuck into cheese produced from the milk of cows just a stone's throw away.

Preston is owned and run by Grant Warren, who says that while his family farm is partially set up to allow for a country lifestyle, it is nevertheless a business that needs to remain financially viable. But in the dairy industry, where margins are low, this isn't easy to achieve.

"The number of smaller dairies in South Africa is dwindling, because you can't produce cheap milk on a small scale," he says, adding that while he tries to keep costs down, he cannot get away from overheads such as electricity, labour and insurance premiums.

"Milking is a 24/7 business, so I need multiple shifts requiring 10 permanent employees each. My staff are happy, motivated, and good at what they do, and this makes it all work. Although it would make financial sense to buy in my milk, I'd lose control of what's in it."

Warren's milk is produced by a herd of Jersey and Jersey-Swedish Red cows that feed solely on pasture. Each cow produces an average of 160/day in summer, and while Warren notes that this is below the industry average, he doesn't push his animals to produce more by feeding them concentrates.