Fresh milk on the doorstep
Raglan milk company Dreamview Creamery is passionate about connecting rural and urban New Zealand. By Bethwyn Littler.
Among the coastal hills of Raglan overlooking the Whāingaroa Harbour and Tasman Sea, a family farm is focusing on environmentally friendly practices.
It has turned back the clock and revived the nostalgic bottles of milk delivered in crates.
Dreamview Creamery is a family affair owned by David and Bronwyn Hill along with their daughter Jess, who is the driving force behind the business. Daughter Kathy and son David have also been involved in the farm and business.
Jess is particularly passionate about connecting rural and urban New Zealand.
“We have had chefs come out to visit us on the farm and they notice we are one big family.”
The Raglan dairy company provides milk to high-end Auckland restaurants such as Paris Butter in Herne Bay.
Head chef Zennon Wijlens said Paris Butter has been incorporating Dreamview milk into its dishes for about a year.
“I get to try a lot of new products, but very few stop me in my tracks and make me say wow,” he says. “It is, without a doubt, the best dairy in New Zealand.”
Dreamview has been in business for seven years, now employing 16 staff and delivering to nearby Hamilton as well as Auckland, Tauranga, Ngaruawahia and Te Awamutu.
The idea of the creamery came to Jess Hill while she was away at university. “While I was in Christchurch studying at Lincoln I worked for a small milk company called Happy Cow. They had 20 cows and sold milk in glass bottles at the Lyttelton farmers’ market every Saturday.
“Around the same time Dad said he was ready for another challenge.
‘‘So I came back from university a year early to start the Dreamview business.”
In the beginning, they bottled 30 litres of raw milk each week in a shipping container. Due to demand and further investment, this has now grown and the creamery produces pasteurised and unpasteurised milk as well as cream and yoghurt. “Pasteurised milk is most popular because we can sell it to cafes and shops but more than 50% of our home deliveries are raw milk,” Hill says.
“We have three drivers delivering to around 150 Hamilton homes every day. By receiving a bottle of milk on their doorstep I think customers feel a connection to the animals on the farm.”
Her family have owned the 120-hectare property for 25 years and milk 250 cows. They have only just recently stopped supplying milk to Fonterra.
“It was a scary decision but we needed more milk for the creamery. Even today we only just had enough milk to feed the calves and the creamery.”
Earlier this year Dreamview hosted a public event organised by Pamu’s Open Farms initiative.
She says she has also been inspired by her parents as well as loyal customers.
“I am proud of the fact this is a family business, my parents built this place from the bottom up. So many of our Raglan customers have been with us for seven years.
‘‘This business would not be possible without everyone involved.”