Hiland Dairy history

In 1943 the Producers Creamery of Carlinville began to collect whole milk for this purpose and to sell cream and a minor quantity of bulk milk as well.

In addition to expanding Prairie Farms market area, mergers and acquisitions facilitated the shift from production of non-grade milk toward Grade A milk, a process which began in 1948.

1949: Prairie Farms opens its first milk bottling plant.

By 1950 company operations solidified with continued sales of butter, cream, bulk milk, condensed milk, milk powder, and the first significant sales in packaged milk, cottage cheese, ice cream, and ice cream mix.

In 1963 Prairie Farms recorded revenues of approximately $16 million.

Leonard J. Southwell replaced Gourley as CEO. Southwell joined Prairie Farms in 1964 through the acquisition of Equity Union Creamery, where he served as general manager.

With the acquisition of Aro-Dressel Foods in 1967 Prairie Farms made a noteworthy entrance into the St Louis market as 60 percent of that company's bottled milk sales were based in St Louis.

1970: Transfer to Grade A milk processing concludes as company halts purchase of non-grade milk.

A key merger involved the Peoria Producers Dairy in 1972, adding $4 million in sales.

In the Hiland Dairy joint venture with Mid-America, formed in October 1979, Mid-America supplied milk and other ingredients and Prairie Farms supplied management to handle operations.

Prairie Farms formed two joint ventures in 1981.

Madison Dairy Butter, a joint venture formed in July 1993, operated a butter plant in St Louis.

In 1997 the company invested $11.6 million on plant equipment, including silos, blow molding, case packer and stacker equipment, and plastic milk bottle filling lines for 8-ounce, 12-ounce, and half-gallon containers.

1999: Prairie Farms reports $1.1 billion in revenues and net income of $50.2 million.