ALDI’s Farmdale was rated number one in Canstar Blue’s fresh full cream milk review for the SECOND year. The brand scored five stars across the board including for taste, consistency, value for money, packaging convenience, and overall satisfaction.
Do you just want milk that tastes like real milk? While a quarter of respondents (25%) to our survey generally buy the cheapest milk available and 16% buy multiple milk containers, dairy connoisseurs will tell you it’s udder nonsense to believe that all kinds of milk and milk brands are created equal – especially when it comes to the creamy, full-bodied goodness that is fresh full cream milk. To help you find out which brands you should be pouring your money into, we compared the ones Aussie shoppers love best.
Canstar Blue surveyed 871 Australians for their feedback on the fresh full cream milk they’ve purchased and consumed in the last three months.
Respondents rate their satisfaction with their fresh full cream milk brand(s) from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
ALDI Farmdale was once again the cream of the crop, scoring five stars in every category across the board including taste, consistency, value for money, packaging convenience, and overall satisfaction. Notably, no other brand scored top marks in any category and instead received a mix of three and four-star reviews.
Find more detailed information on our ratings methodology.
ALDI is the discount supermarket chain known for putting its budget-friendly spin on a wide variety of products, including everything from face creams and mattresses. So, it’s no surprise that it’s joined Coles and Woolies in creating its range of milk products with Farmdale. Available in both carton and powdered form, ALDI’s short and sweet homebrand range of full cream milk includes the Farmdale organic fresh full cream for $2.39, the lactose-free full cream milk available in 1L bottles for $2.69, and 1kg bags of milk powder for $7.99.
Nearly half of Australian shoppers (49%) are willing to pay more per litre for milk to support dairy farmers, and a whopping 79% would even throw in a few extra dollars for supermarket-labelled milk if some of the additional money went to dairy farmers, according to our research. This consumer sentiment may explain the scarcity of five-star reviews in our ratings ─ suggesting Australians expect more from their dairy products than just taste and value, including more transparency about the milk’s origin, and fair payment to milk producers. That may explain why 45% of consumers buy milk brands they believe provide fair payment to dairy farmers.
With ALDI Farmdale topping our fresh full cream milk review once more, it’s a safe bet you’ll find a good glass in the ALDI dairy aisle. That said, most other brands received mostly four-star reviews, so if there isn’t an ALDI near you, you’ll still be able to pick up a bottle of milk you’re happy with from your nearest shop.
When it comes to buying habits, a quarter of respondents (25%) opt for whatever is the cheapest option. This is unsurprising considering nearly one in five (16%) pick up multiple containers during their regular shop, and a handful of people don’t end up finishing what they’ve got before it goes off (17%). It also explains why half of the shoppers surveyed (55%) stick to buying the bottle with the longest expiry date from the day of purchase. Whichever camp you’re in, it’s clear we’re all big fans of milk. With so many options out there, it can get overwhelming, so next time you’re in the shop and can’t decide what to reach for, think of this review.
Megan is Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Editor, leading the team that focuses on consumer products and services, ranging from supermarkets and groceries to home and personal appliances and retail stores. She interprets Canstar Blue’s bespoke research on the thousands of brands that we compare, rate and review, to help shoppers make better purchasing decisions.
Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.
Here are the previous winners of Canstar Blue’s fresh full cream milk ratings:
Appliances - September 27th
We all love coffee and no matter how you take your coffee, if you take it with milk you’ll want it just the way you like. So why not create perfectly frothed milk at home? …
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Appliances - May 16th
Making yoghurt is easy and can provide a healthy treat. Check out Canstar Blue’s review and guide to yoghurt makers in Australia.
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Best-Rated Full Cream Fresh Milk - May 2nd
Do you know your soy milk from your flaxseed milk? Here is a guide to the different types of milk in your supermarket.
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Best-Rated Full Cream Fresh Milk - February 2nd
Rising living costs, supply chain disruptions, and ongoing supermarket ‘milk wars’ have seen the price of milk skyrocket. Hyperinflation and subsequent rising grocery costs are also putting pressure on household budgets like never before. To …
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Best-Rated Baked Beans - May 10th
The average Australian family could save up to $2,468 a year on groceries by shopping at ALDI, according to the budget supermarket’s 2022 Price Report.
The latest findings reveal a price gap of 15.6% between ALDI’s …
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