History of a High-Quality Dairy
When you shop for milk at the grocery store, you may be checking the label for an expiration date or clues about how the milk was produced. For Hollandia Dairy in San Marcos, California, the label tells a story about one family’s deep roots in dairy farming — from life in Holland to a successful dairy operation.
In 1949, Arie de Jong left Holland with his wife and ten children for a fresh start. Just one year later, the de Jong family purchased their own dairy farm in Escondido.
Today, Hollandia milk can be found in hundreds of stores across southern California. CEO Patrick Schallberger is focused on helping the business grow and evolve while staying true to its local roots.
“We’re committed to finding ways to meet our consumers’ needs, because the consumers today are different than they were 20 years ago,” said Patrick. “In this industry, you have to be really consumer-focused because if you don’t listen to the consumer and you don’t change, then you’re not going to be around.”
What sets Hollandia apart? According to Patrick, it’s all about freshness and proximity. Their milking and processing facilities are located within 50 miles of each other, allowing them to deliver milk from cow to consumer in less than 24 hours.
Led by Innovation
The dairy industry has weathered decades of economic challenges, from economic downturns to rising costs and fluctuating milk prices. Despite these headwinds, Hollandia has stayed focused on fundamentals during times of lower milk prices, inflation and shifting consumer preferences.
Jack Rose, the dairy’s CFO, said that new tools, including an app for machine operators to share feedback and troubleshoot issues, have also made the operation more efficient and cost-effective.
“We track everything in an accounting fashion, and to make sure that we’re getting our dollars and cents’ worth of value for all our farmers,” said Jack. “I believe our strength is in our ability to digitize the operation and transform our business into numbers that we can use to make improvements.”
Gregg Warren is head of corporate lending at American AgCredit, which has partnered with Hollandia Dairy for three decades. He said working with Hollandia Dairy has been a rewarding experience, one that has been built on a sense of trust and a mission to serve agriculture.
“It’s a great relationship and it has been fun to watch the company grow and succeed,” said Gregg. “To realize the jobs they’re creating, the lives that they’re changing, and the part of agriculture they continue to serve.”
“The relationship works with trust, integrity and communication, and if there is something that they need as a customer, they know who to contact and they know the right questions to ask.”
Staying True to Local Roots
Hollandia Dairy was once part of a community of countless farms and dairies in southern California. Today, they are the last dairy processing plant still running in San Diego County.
“I have a deep love for San Diego County, and to be CEO at the only milk processing plant in the county is like a dream come true,” said Patrick. “I never thought I was going to still be able to be involved in the dairy industry, so to be involved in keeping this business successful and working with the family is what motivates me every day.”
Hollandia’s commitment to local agriculture is on full display each summer at the San Diego County Fair, where they host a live milking demonstration. It’s a chance to educate the public and kids about how milk is made. “We’ve done the milking demonstration for the last three or four years at the fair,” said Patrick. “People love it, and we see it as a great way to educate and share our story. When you don’t share your own message, then others are going to tell the story and often tell it in a different way.”
The dairy’s formula for success has been focusing on happy cows, healthy milk and products that delight the consumer. That’s no easy feat in a large dairy business, but Patrick said the joy of seeing a satisfied customer makes it all worthwhile.
“We make sure the cows are comfortable with fresh water and fresh feed daily,” said Patrick. “They need to be milked two or three times a day. All of the [Hollandia] owners are out in the dairies every morning, talking to their workers to see what’s going on.”
This story was originally published by American AgCredit.
