Modern Milkman acquires American counterpart

Burnley-based grocery delivery service Modern Milkman has acquired an American company of the same name which it discovered while researching domain names.

Like Modern Milkman in the UK, the US Modern Milkman delivers milk and soft drinks in reusable glass bottles, as well as eggs, baked goods and more, connecting thousands of households to local farmers and suppliers in their community.

The acquisition will retain the US operation’s current staff and continue to invest in growth, which currently equates to 6 per cent week-on-week as it expands across the East Coast. The US team plans to expand its presence in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and establish operations in New York and Rhode Island late this year.

Simon Mellin, CEO and founder of the UK Modern Milkman, said: "This US acquisition is a testament to our commitment to revolutionise the grocery industry and wipe out waste.

“Together with our new US team, we share the same name, purpose, and vision, and are now ready to make a substantial impact on both sides of the Atlantic.”

“Joining forces with our UK namesake is a natural progression for us,” says Seth Bahler, who founded the US Modern Milkman in 2018.

“Simon and I first connected with one another due to sharing the same name, but our complimentary skillsets and shared commitment to fresh produce, convenience, local communities and sustainability are what make this partnership so powerful.”

Bahler created the US Modern Milkman after ten years as CEO of Oakridge Dairy Farm, tapping into the demand for home delivery and high-quality, locally grown food. Just like Mellin’s Modern Milkman venture in the UK, the fifth-generation farmer grew the milkround from a small truck and a few customers into a network consisting of thousands of households.

The US milkround currently serves Massachusetts and Connecticut, but Mellin and Bahler have ambitious plans to tap into the vast scale opportunities this acquisition represents.

“Leveraging the robust platform we’ve built in the UK, we’re already making headway in expanding our eco-friendly milkround across the US, with plans to extend into New York very soon,” Mellin adds.