Hiland Dairy

What Hiland Dairy does

Hiland Dairy Foods Company, LLC is a private, farmer-owned dairy cooperative founded in 1938 in the Ozarks and headquartered in Springfield, Missouri, operating as part of the Prairie Farms Family of Companies. The company runs 16 processing plants and 56 distribution centers across the Midwest and South, serving retail grocery stores, K-12 schools, food banks, and private-label/co-packing customers from Nebraska to Texas, with products typically moving from farm to shelf within 48 hours.

The product portfolio is broad and SKU-deep across fluid milk (conventional, flavored, lactose-free), butter, cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheese, sour cream, dips, ice cream (premium, light, frozen yogurt, sherbet, no-sugar-added), yogurt, buttermilk, half-and-half, whipped cream, Hispanic crema under the La Campanera brand, plant-based alternatives (soy, almond, oat), juice, lemonade, fruit drinks, Red Diamond tea, water, and a school milk program qualified under the Buy American Program. Underlying processing technology includes pasteurization exceeding FDA minimums (161°F for 15+ seconds, cooled to 39°F), lactase enzyme processing for lactose-free SKUs, In-Mold Label packaging for recyclable extended-shelf-life formats, and wastewater recycling (e.g., 250,000 gallons/day at Chandler, OK).

The business model is predominantly consumer CPG dairy sold via direct store delivery through Hiland's own fleet, reaching more than 25,000 retailers, augmented by school milk direct sales, private label/co-packing manufacturing, and ancillary non-dairy distribution (Red Diamond tea, water). Pricing is unit-based at standard retail; no subscription or enterprise SaaS-style contracts are disclosed. The company is part of Prairie Farms Dairy and is governed as a farmer-owned cooperative, with member-farmer milk sourced within roughly 100 miles of processing plants.

Name

Hiland Dairy

Legal name

Hiland Dairy Foods Company, LLC

Website

https://hilanddairy.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Hiland Dairy is a farmer-owned dairy cooperative, founded in 1938 and part of Prairie Farms, operating 16 plants and 56 distribution centers across the Midwest and South. It produces and distributes a broad portfolio of fluid milk, cultured dairy, ice cream, lactose-free, and plant-based products to over 25,000 retailers, schools, and foodservice customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dairy Products Manufacturing

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Fluid Milk Manufacturing (311511), Ice Cream and Frozen Dessert Manufacturing (31152), Dairy Product (except Frozen) Manufacturing (31151)

SIC

Dairy Products (2020), Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts (2024)

akta.pro primary industry

Flavored & Sweetened Fluid Milk Processing (Chocolate/Strawberry, etc.) (AFAHAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dairy Spreads, Dips & Cream Cheese Manufacturing (AFAKAKAL), Dairy-Based Frozen Novelties Manufacturing (Bars, Sandwiches, Cones) (AFAHAEAG), Coffee & Tea Dairy Beverages (Iced Latte/Milk Coffee, Milk Tea, Chai-Based Dairy Drinks) (AFAHAIAF), Butter & Cultured Dairy (Yogurt, Sour Cream, Kefir) Wholesale (AFAIAEAB), Cream & Half-and-Half Processing (AFAHAAAG)

Keywords

• Fluid milk processing
• Dairy product manufacturing
• Ice cream production
• Private label dairy
• School milk programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Springfield

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Dairy Product Sales: Sale of physical dairy products including milk, butter, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, and specialty items through retail grocery stores and direct store delivery
2. Private Label and Co-packing: Flexible manufacturing for retail and foodservice private label products with regional distribution
3. School Milk Programs: Supply of milk and dairy products to schools through Buy American Program qualified products

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hiland Dairy is a farmer-owned dairy cooperative that manufactures and distributes a broad portfolio of fresh and processed dairy products including fluid milk, butter, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, dips, lactose-free dairy, and plant-based alternatives. The company operates 16 processing plants and 56 distribution centers across the Midwest and South, serving retail grocery chains, K-12 schools, foodservice operators, and other businesses through direct store delivery. Hiland also provides private label and co-packing manufacturing services for retail and foodservice customers.

Product overview

Hiland Dairy is a farmer-owned dairy company founded in 1938, offering an extensive portfolio of fresh dairy products across multiple categories. The product line includes Butter, Buttermilk, Cheese, Coffee Creamer, Cottage Cheese, Cream Cheese, Crema, Dairy-Free Options (plant-based alternatives), Dips, Fruit Drinks, Half & Half, Ice Cream (premium, light, frozen yogurt, sherbet), Iced Coffee, Juice, Lactose-Free Milk and Dairy, Lemonade, Milk (regular and flavored), Red Diamond Tea, Seasonal Products (egg nog, flavored milks), Sour Cream, Water, Whipped Cream, Yogurt (fat-free, low-fat, and smoothies), and a School Milk Program. The company operates 16 plants and 56 distribution centers across the Midwest and South, delivering farm-fresh milk typically within 24-48 hours from cow to table. The portfolio addresses various dietary preferences including lactose-free, fat-free, sugar-free, and traditional dairy offerings, with recent additions of plant-based alternatives (soy, almond, oatmilk) to meet evolving consumer needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Red Diamond Tea: Tea products distributed by Hiland Dairy
• La Campanera
• Red, White & Boom
• Fire in The Hole

Products and services

• Butter (Salted, Unsalted, Spreadable)

Quantifiable outcome

• Milk goes from farm to store within 24 hours on average
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• Feeding AmericamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2026Prairie Farms Family of Companies, in partnership with Hiland Dairy and Feeding America, donated 250,000 servings of fresh whole milk to 50 food banks across 20 U.S. states on June 24, 2026, to address food insecurity during June Dairy Month and America's 250th anniversary. The donation specifically targets families facing food insecurity, including military households.
• Frisco RoughRidersminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 May 2026Hiland Dairy became naming rights partner of the Sweet Spot concession stand and Official Dairy and Water Partner of the Frisco RoughRiders Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, expanding concession offerings at Riders Field.
• Indianapolis Motor SpeedwaycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 February 2026Prairie Farms Dairy and Hiland Dairy launched the 'United in Tradition' sweepstakes tied to the Indianapolis 500, distributing collectible milk bottles across more than 25,000 retailers and 200 million commemorative half-pint cartons to schools with QR codes for sweepstakes entry.
• American Dairy Association IndianaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 27 February 2026Collaboration with Indianapolis Motor Speedway and American Dairy Association Indiana for United in Tradition sweepstakes tied to the Indy 500.
• Alex's Lemonade Stand FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 February 2026Prairie Farms Dairy and Hiland Dairy reached their $100,000 donation goal for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation through lemonade product sales, supporting childhood cancer research with ongoing long-term partnership commitment.
• Folds of HonormajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Prairie Farms and Hiland Dairy announced a $250,000 donation to Folds of Honor for academic scholarships for families of fallen or disabled military personnel and first responders, supporting 50 scholarships of $5,000 each.
• Silver Dollar CitycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership for Red, White & Boom ice cream celebration including prize giveaways, live events, and tastings at Hannah's Ice Cream Parlor at Silver Dollar City theme park in Branson, Missouri.
• QCS Purchasing CooperativeminorOthers · 3 November 2025Prairie Farms and Hiland Dairy received multiple awards at the 2025 QCS Annual Conference for product quality, safety, and operational excellence, including a collaboration award for partnership with Rocket Products.
• Rocket ProductsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2025Charitable partnership supporting childhood cancer research through collaborative award recognition at QCS Annual Conference.
• Midwest DairyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool milk program partnerships providing virtual farm tours and dairy education resources for educators through Midwest Dairy's platform.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/HilandDairy
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/HilandDairyCompany
• Facebookfacebook.com/HilandDairy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hilanddairyfoods
• Instagraminstagram.com/hilanddairy
• TikToktiktok.com/@hiland_dairy
• Pinterestpinterest.com/hilanddairy

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hiland Dairy