Scottish farm Mossgiel creates 'the most natural’ zero waste chocolate milk

A Scottish organic dairy farm has launched what it claims is the “most natural” zero waste chocolate milk on the market.

Mossgiel chocolate milk, dubbed “brown cow milk”, is made from waste cocoa husks sourced from artisanal chocolatier Bare Bones.

What follows is a unique brewing technique, where the husks are infused into their organic milk along with raw organic sugar, to make it the “most natural chocolate milk on the market”.

Bryce Cunningham, founder of Mossgiel Farm near Mauchline, wanted to create “a natural but also sustainable” chocolate milk.

He said: “We’ve been eager to develop a Mossgiel chocolate milk for some time now, but it was important that we created a drink that is not only natural, but also sustainable.

“Like there’s a problem with the dairy industry we’re trying to solve, there’s also a problem with chocolate milk. It’s full of rubbish. We wanted to create something that was quality, using real chocolate not just nonsense and E numbers.

“We are taking what would otherwise be waste and turning it into a fresh drink – and with not an E number in sight, natural cream on top and completing a zero-waste cycle.

“Our chocolate milk will separate into a cream top, just like our regular milk, and as far as I know, it’s the only chocolate milk using waste products in its creation.”

Brown cow milk is made from waste cocoa husks. Story Shop via Supplied

After brewing, the cocoa husks are repurposed into compost, combined with Matthew Algie’s waste coffee, cow dung, and bedding to create a rich organic fertiliser. This compost is then used to nourish the farm’s fields, completing the farm’s zero-waste cycle.

Bryce said he was inspired after learning that people thought that chocolate milk came from brown cows – rather than cocoa and sugar – so he decided to make it a “reality”.

He said: “I grew up hearing tales of people thinking chocolate milk comes from brown cows, rather than cocoa and sugar. It’s always stuck with me – why not make it a reality?

“Ayrshire cows are of course brown, so there is some truth to it now: this chocolate milk certainly does come from brown cows – and it doesn’t cost the planet to drink it.”

Mossgiel has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £300,000 for a state-of-the-art dairy facility, which has already reached £100,000.

With planning permission already secured, this investment will allow the farm to double its production capacity.

Visitors to the farm – where poet Robert Burns penned his famous works – will be offered free samples of the chocolate milk upon arrival.