NEW ULM, Minn. – Ownership of the Fargo area’s leading dairy brand is changing, but consumers won’t notice the difference, say representatives of the two companies involved in the sale.
Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) announced it has entered into an agreement to sell its Cass-Clay Creamery to Kemps, LLC.
Terms of the sale call for Kemps to acquire rights to the Cass-Clay brand, recognized in the Upper Midwest for quality fluid milk, ice cream and cultured products such as yogurt and sour cream. Kemps will also acquire the Cass-Clay milk processing operation in Fargo, N.D., where it will continue to manufacture and market the complete line of dairy products. The dairy farmer-owners of AMPI will remain the exclusive milk suppliers for Cass-Clay products.
“We are excited about building on the heritage of the Cass-Clay brand,” said Jim Green, president and CEO of Kemps. “We look forward to providing fresh Cass-Clay milk from local farms for years to come.”
AMPI and Kemps representatives say the sale is a “win-win” for both loyal Cass-Clay consumers and the local dairy farmers who supply milk to make the popular products. Minnesota-based Kemps is respected in the dairy industry for its strengths in consumer brand management. AMPI’s dairy producers are regarded for their expertise in efficiently producing quality milk on family-owned farms.
“This sale allows each company to do what it does best,” said Ed Welch, CEO of the Midwest milk marketing company based in New Ulm, Minn. “It allows the dairy farmer-owners of AMPI to focus on maintaining a steady flow of the quality, wholesome milk that is the essential ingredient in making the Cass-Clay dairy products consumers crave.”
About Kemps: Founded in 1914, Kemps LLC, based in St. Paul, Minn., markets milk, ice cream and related dairy products under the Kemps brand. The company operates six manufacturing facilities located in Minneapolis, Rochester, Farmington and Duluth, Minn., and Cedarburg, Wis., and employs 1,200 in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Kemps is well known in the industry for introducing innovative new products and has received frequent recognition for successful first-to-market product launches such as Kemps IttiBitz and Kemps Frozen Yogurt. www.kemps.com
About AMPI: Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) is a dairy marketing cooperative owned by 3,000 dairy farmers, who market 6 billion pounds of milk resulting in $2 billion in annual sales. Members operate dairy farms located throughout the Midwest states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. The members own 12 manufacturing plants and market a full line of consumer- packaged dairy products. For more information about AMPI, visit the cooperative’s website at www.ampi.com.
Source: Associated Milk Producers Inc.
