Home milk deliveries make a come back

Residents in Western Australia are reliving the olden days with the return of an iconic figure in Australian history, the milko, returning to the streets of Perth.

With more people staying home to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, businesses across the country have had to adapt their method of business to adhere to strict social distancing guidelines and public gathering restrictions.

Western Australia's (WA) oldest dairy company, Brownes Dairy, is one of many businesses to reinvent their business model and adapt to the current climate, bringing back milk deliveries for customers staying home.

The company, which was originally established in 1886, has been in operation for over 133 years and collects over 150 million litres of milk each year from over 50 dairy farms across WA's South West.

Brownes Dairy spokesperson Natalie Sarich-Dayton said the rebirth of the 'milko' delivery service was a positive move for the business.

"Staying at home is becoming a necessity and we know that a lot of families have been struggling to get even their basic groceries, so it is now more important than ever for communities to support each other," Ms Sarich-Dayton said.

After announcing a trial of the service on Facebook, the company was inundated with enquiries from Perth residents who were keen to have their milk and other dairy products delivered straight to their home.

"It's really struck a chord of nostalgia amongst the people of Perth that fondly remember getting their milk delivered to their doorstep, which was decades ago," Ms Sarich-Dayton said.

"There's also a lot of relief. Milk is one of those essential items that can cause stress in the household when you run out.

"Life isn't normal right now, for a lot of people, everything is upside down, and if we can play a role in giving back that one little bit of normalcy like having milk for your morning cup of tea or milk to go on the cereal, then we wanted to be able to do that."