A CENTURY
OF EXCELLENCE
Advancing rural communities for over 100 years
1921
It all starts here. The Minnesota Cooperative Creameries Association forms, and John Brandt is elected to the board of directors. He’ll go on to become our first president.
1924
In need of a catchy brand for the co-op’s sweet cream butter, the Minnesota Cooperative Creameries Association hosts a contest with $500 in gold offered as the prize. Ida Foss and George Swift each walk away a winner for submitting the name, you guessed it, Land O’Lakes. And the runners up? Maid O’ the West and Tommy Tucker.
1930
During the Great Depression, butter prices sink to an all-time low. We help shore up the weakening market, buying a whopping 7 million pounds of butter. Within four months, prices edged back up.
1937
Our first milk-drying plant opens in Luck, Wisconsin. The facility manufactures skim milk powders, casein and buttermilk powder. Due to World War II, all of these products see an increased demand. By peak war years, we had another 21 milk-drying plants operating in the Upper Midwest.
1945
By the end of World War II, we are the world’s largest producer of dry milk products—with 22 plants shipping 119 million pounds of dried milk.
1951
Our invention of calf milk replacer revolutionizes the feed business. Farmers no longer have to give skim milk to their dairy calves.
1960
We enter the cheese market in a big way with our acquisition of the Wisconsin-based Dairy Belt Cheese and Butter Company.
