St Ivel

St Ivel is a brand of dairy products in the United Kingdom, introduced in 1901 by the Yeovil-based dairy company Aplin & Barrett, for use on a range of their products.[1]

For the figure-skating event named after St Ivel's sponsorship, see St. Ivel International.

St.Ivel logo (1992)

The company was taken over by Unigate Dairy Company in 1960.[1] Most production sites were in the south west of England and some in Wales. Most of its brands were bought in the beginning of the 2000s by Dairy Crest, following a severe decline in doorstep deliveries of milk – previously a major area of business for Unigate. In 2020 the St Ivel brand was still used for buttermilk produced by Dairy Crest's successor Müller.

Products and divisions

Low fat spreads

The spreads division, which included the Gold low fat brand, manufactured in Kirkby on Merseyside, were bought by Dairy Crest in November 2002 for £86m from Uniq. Uniq had been formed from what was left of Unigate after selling its cream division to Dairy Crest in May 2000. When the spreads division had gone as well, Uniq and the former Unigate were barely recognisable.

Cream

The cream division was bought by Dairy Crest from Unigate/Uniq in July 2000.

Yoghurts

St Ivel, being owned by Uniq/Unigate, made Shape yoghurts in Wootton Bassett in Wiltshire, until this brand was sold off to Danone for £32m. The factory closed in February 2003,[2] having opened in 1908, and is now the Beaufort Park housing estate after being sold for £19m in August 2004. The factory was demolished in June 2005.

Milk

Under the St Ivel name, Dairy Crest makes milk promoted to school age children with added Omega 3 fatty acids. Robert Wiseman Dairies of Scotland tried unsuccessfully to buy the milk division of Unigate in March 2000. St Ivel also supply milk to Marks and Spencer.

Juice

St Ivel manufacture Mr Juicy. This can be purchased in a range of flavours, however, the most common one is orange.[3]

Production sites

St Ivel had other sites in Chichester, Evercreech, Whitchurch, Westbury, Hemyock, Harby, Chard, Minsterley in Shropshire, and St Erth in Cornwall. Cheese was made in Haverfordwest, Carmarthen.

References
  1. Bob Osborn. "The A-to-Z of Yeovil's History: Aplin & Barrett". Archived from the original on 29 August 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2016. The St Ivel brand was born in 1901 and applied to a range of their products, even though there is no saint of that name. In fact Ivel was one of the spellings accorded to Yeovil by John Leland in his Itineraries of 1533-46. [..] In 1960 the company was acquired by the Unigate Group who closed the Yeovil premises in 1976, transferring many of their staff to other branches, particularly Westbury, Wiltshire.
  2. "Dairy plant closes after 95 years". 7 February 2003. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  3. "Buying Mr Juicy". Viking-direct.co.uk. 19 December 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
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