Guernsey Dairy is adapting well with the increase in sales despite operational challenges created by the resurgence of Covid-19.
The initial effect of the island going into its second lockdown had a significant impact on milk sales as consumers anticipated a shortfall in essential supplies.
Andrew Tabel, managing director of Guernsey Dairy said; “As soon as the island went into lockdown we reacted quickly by introducing an additional production run to counter any shortfall. Staff were called in at short notice to collect, process and pack the milk, ensuring its early morning release the following day as soon as it had cleared mandatory laboratory tests. This in turn meant that retail outlets could replenish stocks and keep up with increased consumer demand.
“This latest lockdown has not been dissimilar to last year’s. Our staff were once again divided into two teams, which was itself a challenge as essential skills are shared between the two shifts. Each shift is divided into separate ‘cells’ to help mitigate the impact should a staff member be forced to self-isolate or test positive. However, this created even greater challenges due to a number of our staff having to self-isolate or shield at very short notice.”
Adhering to public health advice Guernsey Dairy has also introduced the early mandatory wearing of face masks not only to protect its staff but also the milk distributors who perform a vital role in delivering fresh liquid milk and milk products across the island.
Andrew added: “Flexibility and the willingness of staff to adapt quickly has once again been the key in order to maintain service delivery. As always I am incredibly proud and grateful to our staff for their hard work, dedication and commitment under challenging circumstances”.
