Meijer, the Grand Rapids, Michigan-based retailer, has acquired plant operations at Bareman’s Dairy, a local family-owned company based in Holland, Michigan. The new Purple Cow Creamery, named after the ice cream shops inside many Meijer stores, will produce white and chocolate milk in gallon and half-gallon sizes for the 101 Meijer stores located in Michigan.
Executive Vice President of supply chain and manufacturing, Rick Keyes, said, “Producing our own Meijer brand milk allows us to continue to focus on keeping prices low for our customers, while also reducing the number of food miles for a very important product.”
Although it will be several months before the facility begins shipping milk products to Meijer stores, Meijer assumed ownership of the dairy plant operations on April 1.
Meijer’s move into dairy production will also include a more than $8 million investment to expand the Bareman’s dairy plant.
In addition, Carlinville, Illinois-based Prairie Farms Dairy has acquired the rights to the Bareman’s Dairy brand and all Bareman’s distribution facilities, along with exclusive rights to distribute Bareman’s brand products throughout the Great Lakes region. PD
—From Meijer news release
