It might seem like an unusual move to launch a new business during lockdown, but a Dundee man has proven there’s an exception to every rule.
Connor Airlie started Dundee Dairy Company seven weeks ago when lockdown began, but has already managed to make his milk delivery business a success.
He is now delivering plastic-free bottles across Dundee and Angus on a daily basis, and handing out free produce to key workers and those supporting the NHS.
Connor said: “My partner and I opened Dundee Dairy Company and it has gone mad, it has really taken off.
“It has been non-stop, we have been putting in hours and hours on end every day because I have been shocked at the response we have had.”
He added: “At first I was worried and scared because I didn’t know if this was the right time to do it – there was a lot of pressure and I didn’t know if I would be able to cope.
“The first couple of weeks were a struggle, but now it is going really well – we already have over 750 customers.
“Everyone wants to change to glass bottles because they don’t want plastic.
“We want everyone to know we are here and able to safely bring environmentally-friendly milk to their doorstep – we have been able to help a lot of people out during the lockdown.”
On top of this, early every Saturday morning Connor hands out glass bottles to random households which display support for the NHS.
He explained: “We take about 20 bottles of milk and pick houses with rainbows in their windows and leave them a bottle of milk and a little message to say ‘have a pint on us and stay safe’.
“People have told us how happy they are to get a bottle of milk on us, they love it.
And, he is also getting ready to hand out goodie boxes to key workers.
Connor said: “We asked people on Facebook to nominate a key worker they think would like a free goody box with different flavours of yogurt, a box of eggs, a bottle of milk and some orange juice – all the colours of the rainbow.
“Over 150 got nominated and picking just 20 will be hard, so I think we will have to do it at random.”
On top of this, Connor is getting ready to start doing Scotland’s first home deliveries of oat milk in glass bottles.
