Despite a growing trend of milk alternatives, dairy milk remains the preference of more than 85% of Americans (via Morning AGClips). Whether youre adding it to your morning coffee, pouring it into your breakfast cereal bowl, or enjoying a cool glass on its own, dairy milk offers a number of benefits, like being an excellent source of potassium, calcium, vitamin D, fatty acids, and protein.
There was a time when Americans got their milk from local dairy farms, delivered straight to their front doors. But today, most of the milk brands youll find in the grocery store come from larger dairy farms and co-operatives, and feature the brand names of major grocery stores like Walmart, Kroger, or Trader Joes. However, plenty of smaller dairy farms continue to operate across the country, selling their own branded milk and other dairy products in grocery stores or even from their own outlets. One such regional brand is Oberweis Dairy.
The origins of Oberweis Dairy trace back to 1915, when Aurora, Illinois dairy farmer Peter Oberweis started selling extra milk to his neighbors (via Oberweis Dairy). Since then, it has grown to become a major regional supplier of not just milk, but a variety of other dairy products, including its own brand of ice cream.
Minimal processing. We gently heat our milk to retain the most nutrients and not compromise taste. We call this gentle pasteurization, and you’ll taste the benefits.
You can get your milk delivered directly to your front door
Oberweis Dairys first customers received their milk delivered straight to their homes. And for decades before the launch of home grocery delivery services, the company has continued that tradition. Oberweis Dairy offers home delivery of not just their milk, but a variety of other farm fresh products like grass-fed beef, chicken, snacks, cheese, ice cream, and even raw pet food and seafood (via Oberweis Dairy). However, their delivery service is limited to a few select service areas in Central Indiana; South-Central Wisconsin; metropolitan Detroit, Michigan; St. Louis, Missouri; Northern and Central Illinois; Raleigh, North Carolina; Dallas, Texas; and Norfolk, Virginia.
Home milk delivery dropped to an all-time low in the early 2010s, when just 0.4% of milk was home delivered (via NPR). But during the COVID-19 pandemic, many consumers started turning to home delivery for their groceries, and the milkman tradition began to see a resurgence.
The founder’s son dropped out of high school to keep the business afloat through the Great Depression
After a little more than a decade of selling milk to his neighbors, Peter Oberweis became the co-owner of a larger dairy operation called Big Woods Dairy (via Oberweis Dairy). In 1929, he became the sole owner, and renamed the company Oberweis Dairy. But that same year, the Great Depression struck, and the new company faced its first hardship.
To help run the fledgling family business, Peters oldest son Joe dropped out of high school. This early decision proved to be a good career move: In 1951, Joe launched the very first Oberweis Ice Cream & Dairy Store. He is credited with having perfected the early process for creating the super premium ice cream that the brand is still known for. In fact, many of his early recipes are still used up to now. Today, there are more than 40 Oberweis Ice Cream & Dairy Stores, spread across Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan (via LinkedIn).
Oberweis Dairy – Why They’re Successful
FAQ
What is special about Oberweis milk?
Why is Oberweis milk expensive?
Does Oberweis use hormones?
Are Oberweis cows grass fed?
Why is Oberweis milk so good?
How refreshing. Oberweis believes less processing of our milk leaves more room for flavor and delivers a healthier product that’s better for your family. That means no artificial hormones, like bovine growth hormones, are permitted on our farms and no added preservatives including our bottle of milk and glass bottle chocolate milk.
Are dairy products, specifically milk, an effective dietary source to help prevent osteoporosis or could they cause more harm than good?
Dairy products are a very important calcium source which help prevent osteoporosis. They are not harmful, but must be taken in moderation. So, you should include other sources of calcium such as bok choy, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, watercress, broccoli, chickpeas, tofu, and fortified plant milks or juices.
Is Oberweis milk reusable?
The Oberweis family has been crafting premium quality dairy products for nearly a century and we’ve always bottled our milk in reusable glass 1/2 Gallon and Quart bottles. Glass is a better insulator than plastic and cardboard and it can be washed and reused repeatedly. Oberweis organic milk–better for you, better for the planet.
Does Oberweis milk come in glass bottles?
The company’s milk has always been — and continues to be — sold in glass bottles. Oberweis Dairy claims that their glass bottles insulate their milk better than cardboard or plastic (via Oberweis Dairy ). This means that the milk inside stays colder and tastes fresher, and lasts longer than the milk you’ll find in standard plastic jugs.