The Graham’s Family Dairy journey began with one horse, one cart, glass milk bottles and some scones.
At 12, Dr Robert Graham, now 83, helped deliver milk around Bridge of Allan, where the dairy was based.
It was his dad, affectionally referred to as “grandpa Graham”, who began the business.
Things have certainly changed since those days.
Back then, instead of dozens of trucks and lorries delivering the yoghurts, kefir, milk and more around the country, it was the responsibility of a single horse and cart to deliver milk to the local area.
“My earliest memories are as the milk boy,” Robert, a friendly and energetic man in his eighties, tells me.
“There was a horse and cart to start with.
“The horse just knew where to go. It knew it was time to go, it was ready to go.
“It would go round the town – in those days it was just Bridge of Allan.
“The housewife would come out and get the bottle of milk, for tuppence, or however much it cost.
“There were some who would come out with a scone for him.
“When the milk round was finished the horse would come home, and it would be going like the wind.”
That one horse then became two, then they got a van in 1947.
Looking back on the Graham’s Family Diary’s journey over the last 85 years, Robert says: “I never thought it would get this big.
“After just selling in Bridge of Allan for a time, we got ambitious, and went into Causewayhead – just half a mile away.
“Then a few more wee villages.”
Now, the milk is available all around Scotland, and the Stirling family dairy business has launched plenty of other products too.
Their butter is extremely popular, and newer products like their high protein, fat-free Icelandic-style yoghurt, Skyr, and kefir are on the shelves too.
What is Graham’s Gold Top milk all about?
But a product which is synonymous with Graham’s is of course the Gold Top milk.
They launched this product, which Robert came up with, back in 2014.
“It’s normal milk,” explains Robert, “it’s just that the Jersey cow is doing the work for you.”
This milk is creamy and luxurious, with a layer of cream on top – how milk used to be.
“There’s nostalgia as well,” he adds, “with the cream on top, it makes people think about getting milk delivered.”
There is also Gold Smooth, which blends the cream through the milk.
“After people buy a bottle and as soon as they taste it, they want to get more,” Robert says.
“Lots of people use it on porridge or their cornflakes.
“If you put them on the shelf, you can see the difference straightaway.”
Robert is passionate about the herd of Jersey cows who produce the Gold Top product.
He says: “Although we have a business, I am basically a farmer.
“If you look after the cows, they’ll look after you.
“The cows are looked after as though they’re part of the family.
“It’s so important to look after them.”
What would ‘grandpa Graham’ think of Graham’s Family Dairy today?
I asked Dr Graham what his father would think of where the business is now.
“He’s probably looking down on us and saying ‘that is great’,” he replies with a smile.
“My father was that way. He would never criticise someone for doing something that didn’t work, because at least they tried.
“If you’re wanting to start a business, or anything like that, you’ve just got to try it.”
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