Normanton’s Fresh Pastures Limited and School Milk UK Limited has made all 66 employees redundant with immediate effect, as a result.   

Founded in 2006 and based in West Yorkshire, the milk supplier supplied milk to more than 150,000 school children in 14 local authority areas between Wirral, North East Lincolnshire and Nottingham.

However, following several years of unsustainable losses, and a damaging pandemic, the supplier went into administration on 24 July.

Gareth Harris and Lee Lockdown, from RSM UK Restructuring Advisory LPP, were appointed as joint administrators. 

Fresh Pastures reported a turnover of £5.3m and operating losses of £665,509 at year end August 2021, according to the latest accounts on Companies House.

Meanwhile, accounts for sister company School Milk UK showed a turnover of £2.27m and an operating profit of £21,700.

Gareth Harris, partner at RSM and joint administrator, said: ‘Unfortunately, the business has been loss making for several years, and despite concerted efforts by management, it did not prove possible to turn around performance; or find a buyer for the entire business.

‘With further losses predicted over the summer and a large funding requirement imminent, the directors took the difficult decision to close. Schools have broken up for the summer, so we are hopeful that they now have some time to find an alternative supplier before the autumn term starts.’