Wisconsin Dairy Products Association, Inc.

What Wisconsin Dairy Products Association, Inc. does

Wisconsin Dairy Products Association, Inc. (WDPA) is a private, non-stock trade association founded in 1972 under Wisconsin state law, headquartered at 144 East Main Street, Stoughton, WI. It represents and advocates for the dairy processing industry in Wisconsin — the nation's leading dairy state — on behalf of member companies engaged in manufacturing, processing, distributing, and marketing dairy products across cheese, butter, ice cream, yogurt, fluid milk, dry milk, and whey categories, as well as allied supplier firms providing equipment, ingredients, packaging, and services to the industry. WDPA does not develop or sell technology products; its core offerings are advocacy and regulatory monitoring, industry education and training, member networking, and the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest, which it sponsors and administers as the only national competition evaluating the full spectrum of dairy products across more than 96 classes. The association is governed by a 21-member Board of Directors drawn from member companies and operates with a small staff (1-10 employees) led by Executive Director Phil Plourd (effective June 1, 2026) and Director of Membership and Programs Tammy Brereton.

WDPA's business model is membership-fee driven, structured across five tiers — Processor, Supplier, Associate, Retired, and Student — with dues based on each member company's total sales (not just Wisconsin sales) across applicable dairy product categories, billed annually. A second revenue stream comes from event sponsorships, including a Major Sponsorship Bundle that covers all three annual events (Dairy Symposium, Spring Golf Outing, and the Championship Contest Awards and Auction) at a 20% discount versus individual event sponsorships, supporting program funding and providing brand visibility for sponsors. Member-facing operations are delivered through a Novi AMS-based member portal (members.wdpa.net) that supports profile management, event registration, advocacy updates, invoicing, and a member directory, with membership applications subject to Board of Directors approval. The association's primary value proposition is a unified industry voice in legislative and regulatory forums, national-level product recognition via the Championship Contest, and curated peer networking at flagship events held at Grand Geneva Resort, Northern Bay Golf Course, Madison College, and Alliant Energy Center.

Name

Wisconsin Dairy Products Association, Inc.

Legal name

Wisconsin Dairy Products Association Inc.

Website

https://wdpa.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wisconsin Dairy Products Association (WDPA) is a Wisconsin-based non-profit trade association representing dairy processors and allied suppliers through legislative advocacy, networking events, and the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dairy Industry Trade Association

NAICS

Dairy Product Manufacturing (3115), Dairy Product (except Dried or Canned) Merchant Wholesalers (424430)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Dairy Ingredients (Whey, Lactose, Milk Powders) Wholesale (AFAIAEAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Butter & Cultured Dairy (Yogurt, Sour Cream, Kefir) Wholesale (AFAIAEAB), Dairy-Based Beverage Wholesale (Milk Drinks, Yogurt Drinks) (AFAIAGAG)

Keywords

• Dairy trade association
• Dairy processor advocacy
• Cheese contest judging
• Dairy industry networking
• Membership association

Headquarters

HQ city

Stoughton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: WDPA generates revenue primarily through annual membership dues. Dues are based on each member company's total sales (not just Wisconsin sales) across applicable product categories. Five membership tiers exist: Processor, Supplier, Associate, Retired, and Student members with varying fee structures based on company type and sales volume.
2. Event Sponsorships: The association offers major sponsorship opportunities bundles that cover all three annual events (Dairy Symposium, Spring Golf Outing, World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest). Sponsorships provide brand visibility across the dairy industry and support the association's programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wisconsin Dairy Products Association, Inc. is a non-profit trade association serving dairy processors and industry suppliers in Wisconsin. It delivers member services including legislative and regulatory advocacy, industry education, networking, and runs the annual World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest, the largest dairy product evaluation contest in North America.

Product overview

Wisconsin Dairy Products Association (WDPA) is a trade association offering a portfolio of services centered around advocacy, events, and industry recognition rather than a unified technology product. Its core offerings include the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest (a national dairy competition), the Member Portal (built on Novi AMS association management software for member services), annual events (Dairy Symposium, Spring Golf Outing, Awards and Auction), and member support services including legislative advocacy, education/training, marketing promotion, and sustainability initiatives. The association does not offer a software product in the traditional sense.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Association Membership Multi-tiered membership for Wisconsin dairy processors and industry suppliers, with dues scaled by the member's annual sales volume across categories such as Processors (>$10M, $5–$10M, $1–$5M, <$1M), Suppliers, Affiliates, and Individuals. Members receive advocacy representation, publications, and access to association programs.

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• World Dairy ExpocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWDPA is the proud sponsor of the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest, the only national competition that evaluates the full spectrum of dairy products. This partnership showcases dairy excellence globally and provides processors with national recognition opportunities.
• Madison CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest judging sessions. Contest judging takes place at Madison College, 1701 Wright Street, Madison, WI 53704.
• Alliant Energy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue for the annual World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest Awards and Auction ceremony held at the Tanbark Building on the World Dairy Expo Grounds.
• Grand Geneva Resort & SpasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the annual WDPA Dairy Symposium and Annual Meeting, typically held in late July at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
• Northern Bay Golf CoursesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for the annual WDPA Spring Golf Outing, typically held in May at Northern Bay Resort in Arkdale, Wisconsin.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Midwest Dairy: Regional dairy promotion organization covering 10 Midwestern states including Wisconsin. Operates in dairy industry promotion and checkoff-funded marketing, overlapping WDPA's promotional work.
• Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation: Wisconsin-based general agriculture trade association. Comparable membership-based advocacy model for the agricultural sector, though not dairy-specific.
• Wisconsin Farmers Union: Wisconsin-based farmer and agricultural advocacy organization. Similar state-level advocacy and member services model, though oriented toward farmers rather than processors.

Others

• Cornell University – Dairy Foods Extension: Academic extension program providing dairy processing education and technical support. Comparable education and training services to WDPA members, particularly on food safety and quality.

Direct peers

• International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA): National trade association representing U.S. dairy processors, manufacturers, and marketers. Direct peer to WDPA as the closest analogue, just at the national level instead of Wisconsin-only.
• American Dairy Products Institute (ADPI): Trade association serving dairy product manufacturers and suppliers (cheese, butter, whey, milk powders). Highly comparable membership-based advocacy and education model aligned with WDPA's processor focus.
• Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA): Wisconsin-based trade association focused on cheese manufacturing and dairy processing. Overlaps significantly with WDPA's Wisconsin processor constituency and shares geographic and industry focus.

Broad incumbents

• Dairy Management Inc. (DMI): National dairy checkoff organization funded by dairy farmer dollars to promote dairy consumption. Comparable dairy-specific industry promotion and education scope.
• National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF): National dairy policy organization representing dairy cooperatives and producers. Comparable advocacy function but oriented upstream (producers/cooperatives) rather than processors.
• Dairy Farmers of America (DFA): Large dairy cooperative with branded processing operations. Several DFA executives serve on WDPA's board; a major participant in WDPA's membership and contest.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wisconsin-dairy-products-association-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 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 Wisconsin Dairy Products Association, Inc.