If you are old enough, you may just remember the milkman coming around on a daily basis to drop off dairy products early in the morning. He may have left eggs, milk, and cream in a little box on the front porch. You may also remember some stories of it or perhaps have seen it on old TV shows. Now that we are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, it seems as if they are making a comeback.
CBS New York reports that services, including Westchester Milk and Mitch the Milkman, are seeing an increase in orders recently. People are trying to have things dropped off at their home, rather than heading to the store for essentials. Those businesses typically rely on daycares and schools for large orders but are seeing more residential accounts recently. Mitch the Milkman is on Long Island and has seen a six-fold increase in business.
The owner of Suncrest Farms in Totowa, New Jersey, Ed Seabridge, told NJ.com that his business is getting up to 100 phone calls daily. Udderly Delicious, which is based in Old Bridge, New Jersey, has seen their business double.
Those businesses deliver milk but they may also deliver other essentials, such as orange juice, cheese, and butter. Many people were calling the farm-fresh expedited delivery of the milk some of the best that they’ve had.
It was about the middle of the 20th century when milk delivery started to go downhill. Supermarkets had a large inventory, making those delivery services less necessary. If people continue to stay away from stores due to the coronavirus pandemic, even after restrictions are relaxed, the milkman may be the wave of the future. There is one difference, however, the milkmen of today offer almond milk and Lactaid for those who want it.