THE only factory of its kind in the UK is based in Pembrokeshire - with its success founded on a natural superfood from all over the country.

Olympic medallists, premiership football champions and national rugby squads have all been supplied with this wonder product from Pembrokeshire in the 17 years since businessman John Rolfs set up The Golden Dairy.

And the British and Irish Lions also used it on their recent New Zealand tour.

So what's the trade of The Golden Dairy, which is tucked away in the hamlet of Bethesda, to the north of Narberth?

The factory processes colostrum - the milk produced by cows immediately after calving, and which is rich in functional nutrients and antibodies.

John was inspired to set up The Golden Dairy after the special milk helped him recover from major surgery.

"I started to use colostrum after I had surgery for an intestinal tumour," he explained. "I weighed 10 stones and was incredibly weak.

"When I went back to my surgeon for a check-up, I was 12 stones and he was so impressed by my recovery of lost muscle that he became my first customer.

"I researched colostrum science, but no-one seemed willing to make it and I wanted others to benefit from this wonderful thing.

"I started by importing colostrum powder from New Zealand, but we have since expanded the market and now source it from UK farms."

The yellow milk arrives at the dairy frozen and is then thawed, pasteurised and spray-dried to make into a powder.

It is sold direct to the public via the website neovite.com and to many professional athletes via Pro Athlete Supplementation, based in Rhymney, Gwent.

"We are now looking for more milk producers from west Wales," added John.

"We can pay £1 a litre for your colostrum instead of it being poured away."

The Golden Dairy (Llaethdy Aur) was given an EU grant to help convert a bottling dairy in Bethesda, and the automated plant now employs two part-time workers.

Added John: "There has been a lot of medical research into the benefits of taking colostrum.

"It's known to protect and repair the gut so it's good for those on oral anti-inflammatory drugs and it protects against leaky gut caused by heat stress."

The factory was recently visited by Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire MP Simon Hart.

He said: "I had no idea that this ground-breaking factory was on our doorstep.

"I think it (colostrum) is an amazing product with a very exciting future - not just for those who benefit from taking it, but also local farmers who can profit from an overlooked revenue source."

*Farmers interested in supplying colostrum can contact John at mail@goldendairy.com