Prairie Farms Dairy welcomes SmithFoods to its family of companies

ORRVILLE, Ohio — Prairie Farms Dairy announced the acquisition of the SmithFoods manufacturing facilities in Orrville in northeast Ohio.

Prairie Farms Dairy is an Illinois-based dairy cooperative founded in 1938 and SmithFoods is an Ohio-based family-owned company founded in 1909.

“Like Prairie Farms, SmithFoods prides itself on providing high-quality dairy products to its community and being a good neighbor. We are excited to welcome their employees to the Prairie Farms family of companies and we look forward to serving SmithFoods loyal customers with the same exceptional local dairy products and community support they have come to expect,” said Matt McClelland, CEO and executive vice president of Prairie Farms Dairy.

“As a farmer-owned cooperative, we’re always open to exploring opportunities that will return value to our dairy farmers. The SmithFoods acquisition was an easy decision because the Orrville facilities complement our network of dairy plants and expand our Ohio footprint.”

Both companies have a distinguished history of manufacturing a full line of high-quality dairy products and the collaboration strengthens the farm-to-table values embraced by Prairie Farms and SmithFoods.

“We are thrilled and grateful to join the Prairie Farms family of companies. This represents a significant step in preserving and enhancing the legacies built by our customers, associates, producers and their families over four generations,” said Nate Schmid, president and CEO of SmithFoods.

“We deeply appreciate everyone who has contributed to the success of SmithFoods. By passing the torch to Prairie Farms, we are confident that their commitment to our shared values, community and industry will ensure the continued success of our business for generations to come.”

The change is effective immediately and both companies are committed to a seamless integration with no disruption in manufacturing and delivery services or other day-to-day operations.

About Prairie Farms

Prairie Farms Dairy is one of the largest dairy cooperatives operating in the Midwest and the South. Elements of the cooperative include more than 600 farm families, 7,000 associates, 47 manufacturing plants, 100-plus distribution facilities and annual sales of over $4.69 billion.

Prairie Farms is a nationally recognized leader in the dairy industry known for setting the standard for milk flavor innovations and producing award-winning milk, cheese and cultured dairy products.

With headquarters in Edwardsville in southern Illinois, the Prairie Farms distribution footprint covers over 30% of the United States.

Products are available in grocery chains, mass merchandiser stores, club stores, convenience stores, dollar stores, drug stores, schools, food-service outlets and warehouse distribution centers.