Oakhurst Dairy acquired by Dairy Farmers who work around the clock to put fresh milk on our tables. Our dairy is the first local dairy to offer glass bottles to grocers within the Arizona market direct and fresh from a local dairy farm only 10 miles from downtown Phoenix. We just see this as an opportunity to grow and improve.. The Bennetts are involved and will stay involved. Oakhurst Oakhurst will remain committed to its pledge not to use artificial growth hormone in its milk and will continue to source its milk from the 70 independent Maine farmers that currently supply the company. Cathy Pesce, a customer service worker, said she expects many calls from consumers initially, wondering about potential changes. Oakhurst Dairy As we grow, that will actually grow, Bill Bennett said. It took a while to make the decision, he said. Over the last year, following the death of Stanley T. Bennett, II, who served as President and Chief Executive Officer for nearly 30 years, brothers Bill and John Bennett have worked closely together to run the company. The 93-year-old company says it plans no layoffs of its 200 employees. The Bennett family, which has owned Oakhurst since 1921, and the existing management team will continue to manage the companys day-to-day operations. To get one, go to the subscriptions page. Email Us! 2023 Oakhurst DairyPrivacy Policy Terms of Use California Supply Chains Act. We will have two individuals, each with deep industry experience, including nearly 25 years collectively leading the dairy. You will receive an email to complete the registration. They could benefit from the economies of scale, he said. Webcattle for dairy and meat. Oakhurst is northern New Englands truly local brand of milk. The Bennett family has established Oakhurst as a trusted local brand known for its long-lasting commitment to quality, integrity and freshness, said Alan Bernon, president of Dairy Farmers of Americas Affiliate Division, in a news release. Together, we bring a collective strength and expertise that will allow us to continue to take the company forward.. About 80 percent of Maines businesses are family-owned, according to the nonprofit Institute for Family-Owned Businesses in Brunswick. We will continue to bottle our milk locally here in Portland, Maine. He described himself as small potatoes among the milk producers who have been selling to Oakhurst. John Bennett and Tom Brigham will continue in their role as co-presidents. 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One study puts the number of jobs supported by agriculture at Portland, Maine 04101 Create one. Cream. Financial details are not being disclosed. Real Milk. cooperative. Arizona agriculture exports vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, wheat, hay, cotton, eggs, beef and milk to 70 countries and across the U.S. Today, agriculture in Arizona contributes more than $23.3 billion to the states economy. Visit our privacy Eggnog. Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration. Enter your email and password to access comments. None of Oakhursts 200 employees who were told of the acquisition in meetings held early Friday will be laid off, the company said. These local brands continue to run and function as separate, independent businesses. Oakhurst Dairy may also be known as or be related to Oakhurst Dairy. Oakhursts products include milk, cream, sour cream, cottage cheese, egg nog, butter, ice cream mixes, juices, teas and water. Dairy Dairy Farmers of America acquires Oakhurst Dairy of Dairy It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. From the original Oakhurst Dairy, founded by the Bennett family on Woodford Street in Portland in 1921, to the modern 100% farmer-owned dairy on Forest Avenue in Portland, Oakhurst has always stood for The Natural Goodness of Maine. OWNERSHIP: Third-generation Bennett family ownership since 1921, PRODUCTS: Milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, juices, egg nog, butter and buttermilk. Sour Cream. Oakhurst As Co-Presidents, Bennett and Brigham will both oversee the operations and actions of Oakhurst Dairy. Dairy Farmers of America made no admission of wrongdoing in the settlement. The class-action lawsuit, filed by dairy farmers in the Southeast, was scheduled to go to trial Wednesday. [2] Monsanto argued that the label implied that Oakhurst milk was superior to milk from cows treated with rBST, which harmed Monsanto's business. The Bennett family has owned Oakhurst since 1921. Its our heartfelt pledge to not only offer you the freshest products day in and day out, but to conduct business transparently, in ways that honor our customers, the environment, and our responsibility to the next generation. Oakhurst Dairy company history timeline. Thats Oakhurst. Led by three generations of the Bennett family, Oakhurst is the largest independent processor of refrigerated milk and dairy products in Maine producing from one manufacturing facility located in Portland, Maine. Cloverland / Greenspring Dairy Employment. All Rights Reserved BNP Media. Dairy Farmers of America Oakhurst Dairy Acquired By Dairy Farmers Of America. Who would highly value the unique history, brand, and culture of Oakhurst fostered by the Bennett Family over the previous 90+ years? Im honored by the familys confidence in me to help serve in this leadership capacity, said Brigham. Its what we call Maineness. Previously, in 1994, Monsanto had settled lawsuits out of court with a Texas dairy and an Illinois dairy on similar grounds after the dairies agreed to change their labels. From the original Oakhurst Dairy, founded by the Bennett family on Woodford Street in Portland in 1921, to the modern 100% farmer-owned dairy on Forest Avenue in Portland, Oakhurst has always stood for The Natural Goodness of Maine. Its what we call Maineness. 1977: Oakhurst purchases assets of Sanford Dairy in Sanford, Maine. Kamas Cheese Recognized In World Competition, Barry Callebaut Accelerates Drive Towards Sustainable Cocoa With Launch Of CHF 40 Million Global Initiative, Copyright 2021 | Phoenix Media Network | All Rights Reserved | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy. [emailprotected] Its what were about and what we want to share. 603.766.2928. While this may be surprising to some, our family felt this decision was best to ensure the continuation of Oakhurst values and the long-term success and Nothing really changes, Frank said. They seem like a great fit and the timing seemed good for us, Bennett said. The deal, negotiated for about eight to nine months, closed Friday. Even as he wondered if Dairy Farmers of America will be able to keep its promise not to lay anyone off, Leary was hopeful that the sale could ultimately be a good thing for Oakhursts employees and producers. Oakhurst Dairy This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to [1] By 1923, the company had expanded to deliver milk over twelve routes and in 1929 there were 28 routes, including two dedicated to selling milk wholesale. The acquirer, Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. (DFA) is a dairy marketing cooperative that serves and is owned by 13,000 dairy farmer members in 48 states. Oakhurst Dairy Oakhurst Dairy - Company Profile and News [1] The name was changed to Oakhurst in 1918, and in 1921 Stanley Bennett, who had been employed to manage the operation in 1920, bought the farm with financing from a local businessman, Nathan Cushman. As the regions largest independent family-owned dairy company, Oakhurst is committed to the health and wellbeing of the community and the environment. Employees were informed of the sale on Friday, the day the deal officially closed. Oakhurst will remain the Natural Goodness of Maine! Create a market for Oakhurst where the family shareholders and current management team could select their preferred next investor / owner. My brother Bills longstanding plan to transition from day-to-day operations this year allowed us to develop a unique and innovative leadership structure that best positions Oakhurst for continued success and growth, said John Bennett. And Oakhursts milk supply will not be mixed with any other products from Dairy Farmers of America, the company said. The Portland-based company said it will continue to get its milk from the 70 independent Maine farmers who now supply it. [2] Monsanto argued that the label implied that Oakhurst milk was superior to milk from cows treated with rBST, which harmed Monsanto's business. Bennett claimed in the Portland Press Herald, "HACCP provides a daily window into the food-safety process. Farmers who sell to Oakhurst, however, said they are wary about how the sale will affect the employees and the companys suppliers. Milk. WebOakhurst Dairy; Type: Subsidiary: Industry: Dairy: Genre: Milk: Founded: 1918: Founder: Arthur Leadbetter: Headquarters For the last 92 years, our family and a talented team of managers and employees (all of who will remain with Oakhurst) have stewarded this business and made it into the leading milk brand in Maine and Northern New England. With over $12 billion in revenue and 4,000 employees, DFA is one of the countrys most diversified manufacturers of dairy products. Please wait for the page to reload. Goodness. While its sole manufacturing facility is in Portland, the company operates three distribution facilities in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Oakhurst will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Dairy Farmers of America and will continue to operate independently. Guide to Arizona Agriculture Additionally, Don Bennett was a founding member of the National Dairy Council, and he also served as director of the Milk Industry Foundation from 1961-67. [4] In 1990, Oakhurst was ordered to pay $1.9 million to the Fitzpatrick's former owner.[4]. Products | Oakhurst Well be using the same farmers, working with the same family members and hopefully expanding over the years.. I look forward to continuing my role as a strategic advisor to the company.. We are pleased to have them join us and are glad the Bennett family will continue to manage operations. We thank you for supporting local food. Ralph Nader, consumer advocate and Green Party presidential candidate in 2000, joined the debate when he announced he would provide free legal assistance through his foundation that supported freedom of speech. Oakhurst Dairy is a dairy company headquartered in Portland, Maine, United States. But its more sweet than bitter, Bennett said. Flavored Milk. The Bennett family has established Oakhurst as a trusted local brand known for its long-lasting commitment to quality, integrity and freshness, said Alan Bernon, President of Dairy Farmers of Americas Affiliate Division. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. Not unheard of with Bigelow clients, but unusual nonetheless, the Company selected the partner exhibiting the best qualitative fit recognizing that there were other more attractive offers from a strictly economic point of view. And to all the families in Maine and Northern New England who have grown up with Oakhurst in your refrigerators and those young parents that are now raising their families with Oakhurst as your milk, we thank you for your trust! From the original Oakhurst Dairy, founded by the Bennett family on Woodford Street in Portland in 1921, to the modern 100% farmer-owned dairy on Forest Avenue in Portland, Oakhurst has stood for The Natural Goodness of Maine. At the moment, theres no fourth-generation Bennett family member involved in the management of the company, but Bennett said thats not the sole reason behind the familys decision to sell. This Dairy Queen is lovely. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. By visiting It will continue to operate independently and continue its charity and community work, and maintain its pledge to produce milk with no artificial growth hormones, the company said. Today we extend this commitment by reducing our environmental impact, keeping our footprints as small as possible, and finding ways to support healthy active kids. Oakhurst will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Dairy Farmers of America. Jan 31, 2014 by The Oakhurst Dairy Blog Team.