When Henry Plumb set out on his first milk round in 1952, he did it the only way he knew how – with a horse, a cart, and a belief that fresh local milk, delivered with care, was worth getting up early for.
Seventy-plus years later, his grandson Justin Plumb and his team are still getting up early. But the way they are making those rounds looks rather different.
Deliveries, fuelled by Linton sunshine
Earlier this year, Plumbs’ Dairy completed the installation of 72 solar panels on the roof of its warehouse in Linton, Cambridgeshire. Those panels now generate clean energy that powers 11 of their electric vehicles, covering around 20% of delivery routes. Every morning, as the team heads out with their loads of glass-bottled milk, eggs, bread, and pantry essentials, a growing proportion of that journey runs on sunshine produced right here in Cambridgeshire.
Why it matters
Justin and his wife Debbie have always believed that doing things the right way and running a sustainable business go hand in hand. Delivering milk in returnable glass bottles – each one reused 20 to 30 times before being recycled into a new bottle – is just one example. The solar panels and EV fleet are a natural next step in that same story.
As a family firm, there’s also a genuine responsibility to the communities they serve. Quieter, cleaner vans on local roads, lower running costs that help keep the service reliable and consistent – these things matter.
The road ahead
Henry Plumb couldn’t have imagined solar panels when he first hitched up that cart. But we think he’d approve. The horse may be long gone – but the commitment to showing up, doing a good job, and thinking about tomorrow? That hasn’t changed one bit.
Plumbs Dairy has been delivering fresh milk and produce to homes across Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Suffolk since 1952. To find out if we deliver to your door, visit plumbs-dairy.co.uk