Is this the return of the “Milk Run”?
Who has never heard of the job of a milkman? For many people, it is a nostalgic memory that has marked several generations. Until the 1960s, milk distributed by the milkman, door-to-door, was in glass containers. This famous container has become an emblem of Montreal’s heritage thanks to the water tank in the shape of a 10-meter milk bottle located on the roof of the former company Guaranteed Pure Milk C. The giant pint of milk evokes the past of the agri-food industries as well as the traditional method of delivery.
Today, the milkman and the pint of milk seem to have disappeared from the cityscape to make way for the cardboard packaging and plastic bags that are mostly found in supermarkets. But why are the milkman and the pint of milk in glass still a hot topic?
In an age where overconsumption is old fashioned and we try to reduce our ecological footprint, the use of single-use containers is questionable. Faced with environmental challenges, the use of the glass bottle combined with a deposit makes it possible to consume a responsible product with zero waste. Technically, glass provides better food and flavor retention, can be reused multiple times, can be recycled endlessly, is easy to clean and sterilize. As they say, the best waste is the one that is not produced! It is in this vein that a Quebec company, called La Pinte, has developed an artisanal dairy project. The concept is simple, a pure product with the fewest ingredients possible, returnable glass bottles as well as local sourcing and distribution to reduce the environmental footprint.
Thus, with the boom in home deliveries, the milkman promotes human contact and local commerce while promoting the idea of a circular economy. And you, would you be for the return of the milkman with his “Milk Run” in glass bottles like in the good old days?
You can take a look at the milk bottle washer industry