Sealtest Dairy
Encyclopedia
Sealtest Dairy was a division of National Dairy Products Corporation (predecessor to Kraft Foods, Inc.) of Delaware
. The brand name was later acquired by Ault Foods
of Toronto, Ontario and used on dairy products sold in Canada
. The Sealtest plant in Toronto
took over operations of Silverwood Dairy
, the local dairy, in the 1980s. Sealtest brand is now licensed by Natrel
.
and Nestlé
, respectively. Sealtest also sponsored an ice cream
store at the Magic Kingdom
at Walt Disney World in Florida
named Sealtest Ice Cream Parlor and Sealtest Ice Cream Wagon. At one time, the advertising agency on record, Young & Rubicam, wanted to reintroduce the brand as "Now with Natural Vanilla." Consumers responded that they believed the brand to be "all natural" already and the effort to increase brand spending was ended before it went to market.
Sealtest had milk and ice cream plants all across the northeastern part of the United States - there were big operations in Chicago
, Milwaukee, Cleveland, LaCrosse, Wisconsin, Huntington, Indiana
, Rockford, Illinois
, and Philadelphia, as well as New York City
. It also had operations in the Mid-South, based out of Memphis, Tennessee
.
The Milwaukee operation was purchased from a family-owned dairy operation, Luick Dairy, in the late 1940s or after. The Sealtest brand was originally a franchise, much like the 'Quality Chekd' dairy brand - local milk bottlers bought the rights to the Sealtest name in their market areas. Luick and presumably all the other franchisees were bought up by National Dairy Co.
Sealtest Dairy Company was founded and operated by Vernon F. Hovey. After his death, the company was turned over to his two sons. They ran the business in the state of New York, before selling the business.
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
. The brand name was later acquired by Ault Foods
Ault Foods
Ault Foods Limited was a Toronto-based dairy processor and Canada's largest dairy company acquiring other dairy companies across Canada. Ault sold off parts of their business in the mid-1990s; milk division was sold to Agropur...
of Toronto, Ontario and used on dairy products sold 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...
. The Sealtest plant in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
took over operations of Silverwood Dairy
Silverwood Dairy
Silverwood Dairy was a London, Ontario, Canada, dairy company that operated in the early 20th century and later acquired as a brand name by Ault Foods.-Founding owner and early years:...
, the local dairy, in the 1980s. Sealtest brand is now licensed by Natrel
Natrel
Natrel is a Canadian dairy co-operative based in Montreal, Quebec. Natrel was formed in 1990 as the dairy subsidiary of the Agropur agricultural cooperative, headquartered in Longueuil, Quebec...
.
History
Sealtest had its own milk and ice cream parlor, but those two are now owned by ParmalatParmalat
Parmalat SpA is a multinational Italian dairy and food corporation. Having become the leading global company in the production of ultra high temperature milk, the company collapsed in 2003 with a €14 billion hole in its accounts in what remains Europe's biggest bankruptcy...
and Nestlé
Nestlé
Nestlé S.A. is the world's largest food and nutrition company. Founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nestlé originated in a 1905 merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company, established in 1867 by brothers George Page and Charles Page, and Farine Lactée Henri Nestlé, founded in 1866 by Henri...
, respectively. Sealtest also sponsored an 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...
store at the Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom
Magic Kingdom Park is one of four theme parks at the Walt Disney World Resort located near Orlando, Florida. The first park built at the resort, Magic Kingdom opened Oct. 1, 1971. Designed and built by WED Enterprises, the park's layout and attractions are similar to Disneyland in Anaheim, California...
at Walt Disney World in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
named Sealtest Ice Cream Parlor and Sealtest Ice Cream Wagon. At one time, the advertising agency on record, Young & Rubicam, wanted to reintroduce the brand as "Now with Natural Vanilla." Consumers responded that they believed the brand to be "all natural" already and the effort to increase brand spending was ended before it went to market.
Sealtest had milk and ice cream plants all across the northeastern part of the United States - there were big operations in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Milwaukee, Cleveland, LaCrosse, Wisconsin, Huntington, Indiana
Huntington, Indiana
Huntington, known as the "Lime City", is a small city in and the county seat of Huntington County, Indiana, United States. It is in Huntington Township and Union Township...
, Rockford, Illinois
Rockford, Illinois
Rockford is a mid-sized city located on both banks of the Rock River in far northern Illinois. Often referred to as "The Forest City", Rockford is the county seat of Winnebago County, Illinois, USA. As reported in the 2010 U.S. census, the city was home to 152,871 people, the third most populated...
, and Philadelphia, as well as New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. It also had operations in the Mid-South, based out of Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
.
The Milwaukee operation was purchased from a family-owned dairy operation, Luick Dairy, in the late 1940s or after. The Sealtest brand was originally a franchise, much like the 'Quality Chekd' dairy brand - local milk bottlers bought the rights to the Sealtest name in their market areas. Luick and presumably all the other franchisees were bought up by National Dairy Co.
Sealtest Dairy Company was founded and operated by Vernon F. Hovey. After his death, the company was turned over to his two sons. They ran the business in the state of New York, before selling the business.
See also
- Parmalat CanadaParmalat CanadaParmalat Canada is a Toronto, Ontario based company that sells dairy products. It is owned by Parmalat SpA of Italy.The Canadian unit was established in 1997 with the purchase of Beatrice Foods Canada and Ault Foods...
- Beatrice Foods Canada Ltd.Beatrice Foods Canada Ltd.Beatrice Foods Canada Ltd. is a dairy unit of Parmalat Canada based in Toronto. The Canadian unit of Beatrice Foods was founded in 1969 and separated from its American parent firm, Beatrice Foods in 1978....
- Ault FoodsAult FoodsAult Foods Limited was a Toronto-based dairy processor and Canada's largest dairy company acquiring other dairy companies across Canada. Ault sold off parts of their business in the mid-1990s; milk division was sold to Agropur...
- Silverwood DairySilverwood DairySilverwood Dairy was a London, Ontario, Canada, dairy company that operated in the early 20th century and later acquired as a brand name by Ault Foods.-Founding owner and early years:...
- Beatrice Foods Canada Ltd.