Iconic food brand begins new chapter

By Ged Henderson

06 Apr 2023

Alston Dairy

An iconic Lancashire food brand is set to start a new chapter after being acquired by the James Hall group of companies for an undisclosed sum.

Family run yogurt maker Ann Forshaw’s and its associated Alston Dairy was founded in the early 1980s.

James Hall & Co serves a network of independent Spar retailers and company-owned stores across the North of England from its base at Bowland View in Preston.

The acquisition sees the family-owned group expand its portfolio of food manufacturing businesses in the North West to five, adding Forshaw’s to Clayton Park Bakery, Fazila Foods, Graham Eyes Butchers and the Great Northern Sandwich Company.

Operating within the group will mean business as usual for Alston Dairy. Company founder Ann Forshaw and her granddaughter Emma Coupe, who joined in 2017, will remain as directors and will run the company on a day-to-day basis, and all staff will continue in employment.

The family’s Bolton Fold Farm, next door to the dairy, will also remain under ownership of the Forshaw family.

With a mission of producing high quality yogurt from farm to pot within 24 hours, Alston Dairy will continue to purchase milk from the farm to maintain the product’s unique characteristic by using the freshest milk possible.

Dominic Hall, joint managing director of James Hall & Co, which can trace its roots back to 1863, says: “The Ann Forshaw’s brand has an outstanding reputation for producing premium yogurt products.

“We have sold Ann Forshaw’s products in our Spar stores for many years and they have played an important role in our dairy categories, becoming firm customer favourites.

“We continue to strive to source locally as much as we can and acquiring Alston Dairy will allow us to protect that ambition and keep the brand local.

“We are keen to grow the business further and see a huge amount of potential in the Ann Forshaw’s brand.

“We will grow the presence in more Spar stores and continue to develop products in new categories, ensuring that greater numbers of customers can enjoy the products.”

Ann began the business that bears her name in the early 1980s after completing a one-day yogurt making course.

Armed with the knowledge gleaned from the course, she set about making low fat yogurt, sweetened with apple juice, using the skimmed milk which at the time was a waste product on the farm from the cream that they produced.

The business, based on the outskirts of Longridge in the Ribble Valley, has had its share of challenges over the past four decades. However, it has overcome them all through Ann’s determination and her family’s support.

The family had bought Bolton Fold farm when it came up for sale in 1980. The opportunity to own their farmland and house was too good an opportunity to pass up, despite interest rates at 18 per cent.

The yogurt business came out of the need to create extra revenue. In those early days Ann sold 30 dozen pots a week to small local shops. As the business grew, Lancashire based grocery chain EH Booths was one of the first supermarkets to stock Forshaw’s products, followed by James Hall. There were difficult times to be navigated.

At one stage the bank proposed the sale of some of the farmland and 40 of the dairy herd to help solve some of the financial challenges.

However, as a result of her determination the bank gave Ann another six months, declaring after that time that she and her family had “done the impossible”.

The late 1980s also saw a new dairy built to cope with the volume needed to supply Forshaw’s then main customer, a German supermarket chain, only for it to lose the work and 80 per cent of the business to another company on price. More determination and persistence were required.

Ann says: “Across several decades I have poured all of my energy and passion into growing the business and with the support of a wonderful team we have developed the brand and product range in to what it is today.”

Looking at the sale, she says: “I felt that the time was right for me to sell the business and I was keen to ensure that Alston Dairy and the Ann Forshaw’s brand was sold on to a company that has shared values and is similarly family-owned, so I am very pleased to complete the deal with James Hall.

“I am also very excited to remain as a director of the business, together with Emma, to bring to life the new ideas that we have for Ann Forshaw’s products.

“And I am very much looking forward to a future where even more Spar customers can access our fantastic yogurt range.”

The market for those products remains large with Britons spending more than £2bn a year on yogurt products. In 2021, production of yogurt in the UK totalled approximately 463,000 tonnes.

Enjoyed this? Read more from Ged Henderson

Latest news

1

Chiptech announces major innovation initiative at high-profile reception with the New Zealand Prime Minister in London. The Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds, the Rt Hon Christopher Luxon and the Rt Hon Steve Reed (L-R Front Row) David Hammond, and Daniel Knowles

Chiptech announces major innovation initiative at high-profile reception with the New Zealand Prime Minister in London.

30 Apr 2025

2

Northstone secures full planning permission for 50 new homes in Edenfield Edenfield housing development

Northstone secures full planning permission for 50 new homes in Edenfield

29 Apr 2025

3

Ring Stones Maintenance and Construction celebrates completion of Dovestone Gardens Dovestone Gardens launch

Ring Stones Maintenance and Construction celebrates completion of Dovestone Gardens

29 Apr 2025

4

PHX Training welcomes new business leader to drive learner success Louise Kirby

PHX Training welcomes new business leader to drive learner success

29 Apr 2025

5

Lidl to invest half a billion pounds in its expansion as it eyes sites in Lancashire Lidl

Lidl to invest half a billion pounds in its expansion as it eyes sites in Lancashire

29 Apr 2025

Pc Prestonmacan Gif980x120 March
Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV122 May/June Launch Event
121 Lancashire Business View Magazine Launch
Networking
21 May 2025

LBV122 May/June Launch Event

Lancaster and Morecambe College, Lancaster, LA1 2TY

08:30 - 10:30

Sub36 Networking
Networking
11 Jun 2025

Sub36 Networking

British Jewellery School, Scorton, PR3 1BA

15:00 - 17:00

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference
Net Zero Carbon Social 1200px 2
Networking
18 Jun 2025

Lancashire Net Zero Carbon Conference

Crow Wood Hotel & Spa Resort, Burnley, BB12 0RT

08:30 - 13:00

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers
WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion copy.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
02 Apr 2025 - 08 Oct 2025

RISE - The Academy for Female Leaders and Managers

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:00 - 15:30

Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes
Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes for website.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
01 May 2025 - 01 May 2025

Planning for the future + navigating Inheritance Tax changes

Stanley House Hotel, Mellor, Blackburn, BB2 7NP, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

08:00 - 10:30

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 2
EV-land-2025-05B.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
02 May 2025 - 02 May 2025

Advantage: AI – A Workshop for Business Leaders – May 2

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Manchester Road, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 11:00

A night at the races
1.png.png
LBV Hub Dinners / Balls
02 May 2025 - 02 May 2025

A night at the races

Morecambe FC, Morecambe, LA4 4TB

19:00 - 23:59

Research and Knowledge Exchange Showcase
13421_research_knowledge_exchange_2025_600x300.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Awards
07 May 2025 - 08 May 2025

Research and Knowledge Exchange Showcase

University of Central Lancashire , Preston, PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

Innovating business solutions through PhD Partnerships
30478 Skills Bootcamp open day setting.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
07 May 2025 - 07 May 2025

Innovating business solutions through PhD Partnerships

University of Central Lancashire, Preston , PR1 2HE

14:30 - 15:30

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more Lbv121 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin