SmithFoods facts for kids

SmithFoods is a company that makes yummy dairy products, drinks, and ice cream. Their main office is in Orrville, Ohio. They sell their products under two main names: Smith's and Ruggles. You can find their products in stores and sometimes in bigger amounts for other businesses.

They have two factories where they make these products. One factory is in Orrville, Ohio, and the other is in Richmond, Indiana. They make things like cottage cheese, sour cream, iced teas, juices, and, of course, milk and ice cream!

How SmithFoods Started

The Early Days (1909-1920s)

The story of SmithFoods began on January 1, 1909. Two brothers, John and Peter Schmid, bought a small dairy farm. Back then, they had only two horses, two wagons, and a simple hand-cranked machine to make ice cream. They even cut ice from a pond in winter to keep things cold!

The company's name changed a few times. But it eventually became known as Smith Dairy.

Growing Bigger (1920s-1940s)

In the 1920s, the dairy started using new ideas. One big change was getting mechanical refrigeration. This helped them make more ice cream and grow their business.

Smith Dairy became an official company in 1930. During the 1930s, they stopped using horses for deliveries. Instead, they used trucks. In 1938, they even bought a special truck that used both gas and electricity!

In 1947, Smith Dairy joined a group called Quality Chekd. This group helps dairies make sure their products are super high quality and safe to eat. They check things even more carefully than the government requires.

Modernizing and Expanding (1950s-1970s)

The 1950s brought more modern changes to Smith Dairy. They got their first big cooling tank for milk. They also added a conveyor system. This helped machines do some of the work, making things faster.

The 1960s and 1970s were busy times for Smith Dairy. They were one of the first companies to make their own plastic milk jugs. They also bought four other dairies. This helped them deliver their products to even more towns and communities.

New Leadership and Famous Milkshake (1980s-1990s)

In the 1980s, the third generation of the family started leading the company. In 1988, Smith Dairy bought the Ruggles ice cream brand. This led to a brand new ice cream factory opening in 1989.

To celebrate the new factory, Smith Dairy made the biggest milkshake ever! It was so big that it earned them a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records that year.

In 1992, the company moved into new offices. They also got a new place to send out their products. In 1994, they bought Wayne Dairy in Richmond, Indiana. This helped them make milk that could stay fresh for a longer time.

This led to a new product in 1998 called Moovers. These were the first single-serve milk drinks in plastic bottles that stayed fresh for a very long time without needing to be refrigerated until opened.

Protecting Milk and Recent Times (1999-Present)

In 1999, Smith Dairy started using a special yellow jug for their Smith's milk. Why yellow? Because natural light can make milk lose its flavor and vitamins. The opaque yellow plastic helps protect the milk from harmful light.

As of 2009, Smith Dairy had more than 450 people working for them. They processed about 100,000 gallons of milk every day. They also sold over 4 million gallons of ice cream each year!

In July 2020, SmithFoods had a product recall for some items they made for another company called ALDI. This means they asked stores to take those products off the shelves to make sure everyone stayed safe.

See also

• List of dairy product companies in the United States