Our story
Edwards Dairies celebrates its 60th birthday in 2021 and has grown rapidly in the last 10 years. Read all about a local success story.
Early beginnings: Rented fridge space
Winston Edwards sets up his first milk round from an old fridge at the Old Cross Keys inn at Chirk.
Winston used an Austin A55 van to deliver around the Chirk area and soon built the business up enough to buy his own yard at Whitehurst, Chirk.
Despite the rise of supermarkets, he built up the business, due in no small part to his personality. From early beginnings in Chirk, Winston was known and loved by his customers as a bit of a local character who was proud to serve his community.
Son joins father
At the age of 14 Winston’s son Martin joins the business, first part time while still at school, then going full time at the age of 16.
Father and son worked well together and began buying up milk rounds from retiring milkmen in the Chirk and St Martins area, and then moving on to Wrexham.
The third generation joins the business
More than 50 years later, although Winston has passed away, we have grown to employ six drivers and office staff.
Martin’s son Louis joins the family business, turning full time at the age of 16.
Louis becomes a partner two years later.
As supermarket home deliveries take off, Edwards Dairies keeps going strong by looking after its customers and expanding its territory.
But also we continue to grow by adapting, linking up with local producers and deliver quality meats, eggs, vegetables, bread and a wide variety of dairy produce from its depot at Black Park, Chirk.
By now Edwards Dairies has grown to supply more than 2,000 doorsteps from Oswestry and Chirk through Wrexham and right up to the Chester area as supplying local business including hotels, factories, shops and restaurants.
Edwards Dairies goes digital
After building a strong Facebook following, Edwards Dairies launches an online shop that allows customers to add to their orders for delivery.
It’s the third version of the Edwards Dairy website, and the first to use the new responsive design technology, making it as easy to use on a mobile phone as on a computer.
A new e-newsletter also proved hugely popular, letting customers know about special offers and seasonal specials.
Both the newsletter and the online shop proved a great success by making it easy for customers to order their groceries in minutes.
We expand again online and move to a new website platform that allows customers to manage their own deliveries, add to their orders and pay for their orders, all in the same place.
Meanwhile we continue to add more and more rounds, with more vans and more and more drivers.
Our Black Park depot is starting to look a little cramped!
A new base as we celebrate our 60th anniversary
Martin and Louis move the business to a new depot at Gledrid, between Chirk and Oswestry. Though we didn’t leave Black Park behind as we still serve some customers from there.
As we celebrate our 60th anniversary, we’ve grown to employ 25 people, serving thousands of customers over an area covering from Chester to Rhyl, down to shrewsbury and deep into mid Wales.
And we launch another new website and the email newsletter is is back!
