Sark Dairy Seeks New Operators

The Sark Community Dairy is seeking new operators following the departure of its current farmers, who have announced their intention to relocate back to the UK. The estimated buy-in price for the enterprise is approximately £70,000, a sum that includes the processing machinery and the herd of Guernsey cows. Seigneur Christopher Beaumont, a trustee for the Sark Dairy Trust, described the dairy as “a turn-key business opportunity for the right person.” He indicated that the new operators are required to be in place by the summer season. According to Beaumont, the incoming tenants would need to achieve a daily production of 100 litres (176 pints) of milk to ensure a healthy profit margin. This output could also encompass equivalent quantities of products such as cream, butter, cheese, ice creams, and yoghurts. Jason Salisbury and his wife Katharine relocated from their farm in Suffolk to assume control of the dairy in October 2019. During their tenure in Sark, they were responsible for producing award-winning cheeses. The couple stated their decision to return to their family and transition the farm to new management. Mr. Salisbury commented, “It was really the idea of setting up the dairy here on Sark and starting it up from scratch, we feel now that we’ve accomplished that mission.” Mrs. Salisbury further remarked, “You can get a lovely work-life balance here. The beaches are wonderful so you can explore them everyday. There’s a lot of lovely opportunities for the right person to come along and enjoy the island life.” Initially, the trustees concentrated their search for the next tenants within the Channel Islands, with plans to broaden this search to include the UK within a few weeks.