Guida's Dairy history

Radway's had been formed in 1918 by Guy F. Radway.

The bottling plant it moved to in 1929 was later used as a distribution center by Guida's.

Wanting a change of scenery, Alexander moved to New Britain in 1930 and began work at Stanley Works.

In the midst of the Great Depression, Alexander Guida, Jr. and his brother Frank began selling milk in 1932.

Alexander finally purchased the dairy from Seibert in 1946 and officially founded Guida-Seibert Dairy.

In 1947, the brothers acquired the Seibert Dairy.

Guida's merged with Radway's Dairy of New London, Connecticut, in 1966.

Guida's had begun using plastic crates in 1973; as it grew so had the losses associated pilferage.

By the time of Alexander Guida, Jr.'s, death in August 1990, Guida-Seibert Dairy Company had become New England's largest independent dairy, with revenues of $100 million a year and a fleet of roughly 200 trucks.

Bernard Guida was named president and CEO in February 1991.

Around 1992, the company formed an independent subsidiary, Fast Trac Inc., to market a new line of juices and juice drinks.

In 1995, Guida’s Dairy was a major sponsor to the Special Olympics Summer World Games in New Haven, Connecticut.

Its creator, local artist Richard Lucent, threatened to sue Guida in 1998 seeking a share of its success.

In 1999, Guida's revenues were about $90 million and growing rapidly, according to figures in the trade publication Dairy Field.

Sales rose to $125 million in 2000 and continued to rise through the next year at double digit rate.

Around 2002, the company introduced a single-serving, 12-ounce plastic bottle as a more convenient alternative to the larger, traditional pint.

Gianatasio, David, "MD&C Milks TV for Guida Dairy," adweek.com, September 30, 2003.

The growth push prompted the traditionally debt averse company to obtain financing; it was spending about $8 million on upgrades. It acquired more land inside the city of New Britain in 2004 with plans to relocate an out-of-town storage facility there.

Guida's built a 25,000-square-foot warehouse expansion and a 50,000-gallon silo at its New Britain headquarters in 2011.

It was succeeded by the establishment during 2021 of the National Immigrant Heritage Center (NIHC), an independent 501(c)3 organization established as a multi-ethnic Center, inclusive in its mission, structure and governance.