EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. Prairie Farms Dairy was a big winner in the World Dairy Expo Dairy Product Contest, which unveiled the 2023 award winners on August 31. Prairie Farms and its family of companies won 62 awards in 38 of the contest’s 96 classes. Once again, Prairie Farms received more awards than any other company, making Prairie Farms Dairy the reigning contest champion. The final tally was 22 first-place awards, 23 second-place awards, and 17 third-place awards.
“Earning recognition from the prestigious World Dairy Expo Dairy Product Contest directly reflects the hard work behind our farm-to-table commitment. With these awards, our dairy products are officially recognized as the ‘Best of the Best,’ and for that, we thank the judges,” said Matt McClelland, Prairie Farms’ Chief Executive Officer/Executive Vice President. “Our dairy farmers provide high-quality milk, allowing our team members to produce award-winning dairy products, and they deserve credit for the awards. Since Prairie Farms is celebrating our 85th Anniversary in 2023, receiving this record-breaking number of 62 WDE awards is an important milestone, and I couldn’t be prouder of our farmer-owners and employees.”
Prairie Farms was unstoppable in five categories, claiming all top spots:
- White Milk Awards: 1st Hiland Dairy – Norman, Okla., 2nd Prairie Farms – Holland, Ind., 3rd Hiland Dairy – Dallas, Texas
- Flavored UHT Milk Awards: Prairie Farms – Battle Creek, Michigan 1st, 2nd, 3rd
- Sour Cream Based Dips – Onion Awards: 1st Prairie Farms – Fort Wayne, Ind., 2nd Hiland Dairy – Norman, Okla., 3rd Hiland Dairy – Omaha, Nebraska
- Southwest Dip Awards: 1st Prairie Farms – Fort Wayne, Ind., 2nd Hiland Dairy- Norman, Okla., 3rd Hiland Dairy – Omaha, Nebraska
- Cookies & Cookie Dough Ice Cream Awards: 1st Belfonte Dairy – Kansas City, Mo., 2nd and 3rd Prairie Farms – Rockford, Illinois
Hiland Dairy’s Norman, Oklahoma plant received the Grade A Grand Champion Award for its 2% Milk. Other category wins included 17 fluid milk awards, including the Grade A Champion Award, 12 ice cream awards, ten sour cream/dip awards, nine yogurt awards, five whipping cream/creamer awards, four cottage cheese awards, four cheese awards, and one whey award. Find the complete list of awards, along with descriptions and scores by visiting our World Dairy Expo page.
Held in Madison, Wisconsin, the heart of dairy country, the WDE Championship Dairy Product Contest is sponsored by The Wisconsin Dairy Products Association. It is one of the country’s most prestigious dairy judging competitions. The national competition, held over three days, received products from 43 states. Products in 96 classes included ice cream, gelato, cheese, yogurt, butter, sour cream, fluid milk, whipping cream, cottage cheese, dairy dips, whey, and dried milk. The grand champions and the first, second, and third place winners for each class will receive their trophies, medals, and ribbons at an award reception and auction on October 3 as part of the World Dairy Expo in Madison. The first-place winner’s products are auctioned off that day, with proceeds going to scholarship programs focused on dairy education.
Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful dairy cooperatives operating in the Midwest and the South. Elements of the cooperative include more than 600 farm families, 7,000 associates, 50 manufacturing plants, over 100 distribution facilities, and annual sales of over $4.2 billion. Prairie Farms is a nationally recognized leader in the dairy industry known for setting the standard for milk flavor innovations and producing award-winning milk, cheese, and cultured dairy products. With headquarters in Edwardsville, Ill., the Prairie Farms distribution footprint covers over 30 percent of the United States; products are available in grocery chains, mass merchandiser stores, club stores, convenience stores, dollar stores, drug stores, schools, foodservice outlets, and warehouse distribution centers. For more information about Prairie Farms Dairy, visit www.prairiefarms.com.
