Prairie Farms Dairy history

Construction was completed on a new plant in May 1947 when Prairie Farms purchased a bottling machine for packaging milk in paper cartons.

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.

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.

One of the most significant transactions concerned a 1957 merger with Prairie Farms Dairy of Carbondale, an operation with $3.3 million in annual sales.

In 1963 the company halted the purchase of farm-separated cream and discontinued production of condensed milk and milk powder.

Prairie Farms formed a new subsidiary in 1969, PFD Supply, to separate the fast-food supply business from other operations at Granite City.

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

By 1978 Prairie Farms reported sales of $206 million, after processing 913.5 million pounds of milk into dairy products.

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.

New leadership took the helm at Prairie Farms in 1988 when Gourley stepped down as CEO and general manager after 50 years at the helm.

1989: The company acquires Pevely Dairy, the largest and oldest independent dairy in St Louis.

Gourley took the positions of senior vice-president and COO until his death in 1991.

After acquisition by Prairie Farms in January 1994, Prairie Farms added new equipment and began expansion of the Fort Wayne facility.

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.

Prairie Farms placed 15th among the 150 largest privately held companies in the St Louis area, based on its fiscal 2000 revenues.