Oberweis Dairy
Encyclopedia
Oberweis Dairy, headquartered in North Aurora, Illinois
, is the parent company of several dairy
-related operations in the midwest region of the United States
. Its businesses include a home delivery service available in parts of Illinois
, Indiana
, Missouri
, Michigan
, and Wisconsin
, which delivers traditional dairy products, including milk
, ice cream
, cheese
, and yogurt, as well as bacon
and seasonal products. The businesses also include a chain of corporate-owned "Dairy and Ice Cream Stores
", in the Chicago area, which sell many of the same products as the home delivery service, a distribution service which allows for some of their products (such as milk) to be available in regional supermarkets, and also includes a franchise
service, which has seen the "Dairy and Ice Cream Stores" expand into Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri,and Michigan since 2004. The firm is privately owned, largely by the Oberweis family.
. According to the Dairy's website, the family's farm was off of Molitor Road, in Aurora, Illinois
. The family used a horse and carriage to deliver milk to their neighbors, beginning in 1927, after Peter J. Oberweis invested in half of the business of the Big Woods Dairy.
The business continued in the family, with Peter's son, Joe, running the business through the 1950s. Current owner, Jim Oberweis, took over the company in the 1980s, moved the plant from Aurora to its current location in North Aurora in the 1990s, (which also housed the offices of Jim's 'Oberweis Asset Management' company until 2006), and began expansion of the businesses in retail and franchising.
, around St. Louis, Missouri
, and near Indianapolis, Indiana
and Milwaukee, Wisconsin
and near Detroit, Michigan
. Some projects for the retail stores were done on a trial basis at the company's corporate office in North Aurora (which also includes a retail store) before being put into place at other locations, such as the stores' drive-through
service, and the lunch/sandwich program, which began in 2004 and ended in July 2006. Most of those locations trialling the sandwich program (and select other stores) now carry a variety of pastry items, including cakes, brownies, and cookies. Oberweis has 34 company locations, and 5 franchise locations as of June 2006.
, recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone. They have taken this step despite a statement by the United States Food and Drug Administration
which claims that the hormone does not have any detrimental effects on humans. Oberweis Dairy states their reason for the decision is to successfully fulfill their motto, which is to "Provide simply the best people, products, and places."
rBGH
has been outlawed in Canada
, New Zealand
, Australia
, Japan
and most EU countries.
In addition, Oberweis guarantees that its cows are not fed feed containing animal proteins. Dairy cow diets contain corn and corn silage. Soy meal is used as a protein source. Haylage (chopped hay) and baled (dry) hay are also provided as feed. Vitamins and minerals are added to balance their diets. 90% of dairy herds graze when weather permits.
North Aurora, Illinois
North Aurora is village in Kane County, Illinois, United States. A suburb of Chicago, its population was 15,848 at the 2009 census.In its early history, North Aurora was known as "Schneider's Mill" or "Schneider's Crossing" after John Peter Schneider, a German immigrant who established a mill and...
, is the parent company of several dairy
Dairy
A dairy is a business enterprise established for the harvesting of animal milk—mostly from cows or goats, but also from buffalo, sheep, horses or camels —for human consumption. A dairy is typically located on a dedicated dairy farm or section of a multi-purpose farm that is concerned...
-related operations in the midwest region of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Its businesses include a home delivery service available in parts of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, and Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, which delivers traditional dairy products, including milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
, ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
, cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
, and yogurt, as well as bacon
Bacon
Bacon is a cured meat prepared from a pig. It is first cured using large quantities of salt, either in a brine or in a dry packing; the result is fresh bacon . Fresh bacon may then be further dried for weeks or months in cold air, boiled, or smoked. Fresh and dried bacon must be cooked before eating...
and seasonal products. The businesses also include a chain of corporate-owned "Dairy and Ice Cream Stores
Ice cream parlor
Ice cream parlors are places that sell ice cream and frozen yogurt to consumers. Ice cream is normally sold in two varieties in these stores: soft-serve ice cream , and hard-packed, which has an assortment of flavors, as well as frozen yogurt, which is a low-fat alternative and tastes slightly...
", in the Chicago area, which sell many of the same products as the home delivery service, a distribution service which allows for some of their products (such as milk) to be available in regional supermarkets, and also includes a franchise
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
service, which has seen the "Dairy and Ice Cream Stores" expand into Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri,and Michigan since 2004. The firm is privately owned, largely by the Oberweis family.
History
The business was started in 1915 by Peter J. Oberweis, who made a profit by selling milk to his neighbors in Kane County, IllinoisKane County, Illinois
Kane County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 515,269, which is an increase of 27.5% from 404,119 in 2000. Its county seat is Geneva, and its largest city is Aurora.- Geography :...
. According to the Dairy's website, the family's farm was off of Molitor Road, in Aurora, Illinois
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
. The family used a horse and carriage to deliver milk to their neighbors, beginning in 1927, after Peter J. Oberweis invested in half of the business of the Big Woods Dairy.
The business continued in the family, with Peter's son, Joe, running the business through the 1950s. Current owner, Jim Oberweis, took over the company in the 1980s, moved the plant from Aurora to its current location in North Aurora in the 1990s, (which also housed the offices of Jim's 'Oberweis Asset Management' company until 2006), and began expansion of the businesses in retail and franchising.
Dairy and Ice Cream Stores
The Dairy and Ice Cream Stores have been in operation since the first store in 1951. The company currently has locations, both corporate-owned and franchised, throughout Chicago, its suburbs and northwest IndianaIndiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, around St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, and near Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
and Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
and near Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. Some projects for the retail stores were done on a trial basis at the company's corporate office in North Aurora (which also includes a retail store) before being put into place at other locations, such as the stores' drive-through
Drive-through
A drive-through, or drive-thru, is a type of service provided by a business that allows customers to purchase products without leaving their cars. The format was first pioneered in the United States in the 1930s but has since spread to other countries. The first recorded use of a bank using a drive...
service, and the lunch/sandwich program, which began in 2004 and ended in July 2006. Most of those locations trialling the sandwich program (and select other stores) now carry a variety of pastry items, including cakes, brownies, and cookies. Oberweis has 34 company locations, and 5 franchise locations as of June 2006.
Home delivery
The company's home delivery service was begun by its founder in 1927, and continues to homeowners in the Chicago area through the present day.Health stance
Oberweis Dairy has vowed not to use or sell milk from cows treated with rBGHBovine somatotropin
Bovine somatotropin , or BGH, is a chain of amino acids produced by the cow's pituitary gland. Like other hormones, it is produced in small quantities and is used in regulating metabolic processes...
, recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone. They have taken this step despite a statement by the United States Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
which claims that the hormone does not have any detrimental effects on humans. Oberweis Dairy states their reason for the decision is to successfully fulfill their motto, which is to "Provide simply the best people, products, and places."
rBGH
Bovine somatotropin
Bovine somatotropin , or BGH, is a chain of amino acids produced by the cow's pituitary gland. Like other hormones, it is produced in small quantities and is used in regulating metabolic processes...
has been outlawed in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and most EU countries.
In addition, Oberweis guarantees that its cows are not fed feed containing animal proteins. Dairy cow diets contain corn and corn silage. Soy meal is used as a protein source. Haylage (chopped hay) and baled (dry) hay are also provided as feed. Vitamins and minerals are added to balance their diets. 90% of dairy herds graze when weather permits.