Our Vision
To be the leading source of dairy nutrition for a healthy world. We believe that: We are stronger together. We do what is right. We take the lead. We work hard.
Established in 1999 as the result of a successful merger of three prominent California dairy processing cooperatives, California Dairies, Inc.®, is a milk marketing and processing cooperative co-owned by 300 dairy families.
Our independent, family-owned member dairies are located throughout California’s rural landscape from San Diego County in the south to Sacramento County in the north. With 100 percent of our member dairies located within 100 miles of a CDI manufacturing facility or one of our customer’s creameries, our member-owners’ fresh, raw milk is transformed into a variety of high-quality dairy products within 24 hours of arrival.
As a leading manufacturer of butter, milk powder, nutritional milk powder, and fluid milk products, we only use high-quality, simple ingredients in our products. We make it our responsibility to profitably market, process and add value to our members’ milk while remaining committed to our core values in providing our consumers and customers with wholesome products.
At CDI, we believe that we are stronger together: on-farm and at the processing facility. Through the partnership with our member-owners, we work concertedly to ensure the production of safe, healthy, and nutritious dairy products for our customers and consumers.
“As a member-owner of CDI, I value the fact that my milk is marketed into the best products available in a profitable manner every day of the year. We are stronger together, and our management and staff work daily to utilize progressive strategies to maximize the returns back to our member-owners.”
“At CDI, our mission is to profitably market, process, and add value to our members’ milk. As a leading dairy cooperative, we have strong board governance and an experienced leadership team well-positioned to capture exciting future opportunities that will help us continue to grow our business and return more value to our member-owners.”
In addition to our core business, CDI also has ownership in three well-respected and distinct brands.
Challenge Dairy Products, Inc.
California Dairies, Inc. wholly owns Challenge Dairy Products, Inc. Challenge Dairy provides a complete line of butter products to the retail trade, as well as a diversified line of products to the foodservice and food ingredients businesses. Both the Challenge and Danish Creamery brands have more than a century-long history and are premium butter brands.
DairyAmerica, Inc.
A division of California Dairies, Inc., DairyAmerica markets milk powders throughout the United States. Internationally, DairyAmerica handles approximately 50 percent of all milk powder produced in the United States and exports milk powder to over 50 countries worldwide.