Why milk is the favorite beverage of most Americans?
A drink that is packed with a whole lot of proteins, potassium, calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, and calories is definitely worth drinking, especially for toddlers who need it the most for strengthening their bones. Organic milk provides the necessary nutrients and prevents osteoporosis in children. In 2019 alone, over 40 billion pounds of organic and conventional fluid milk was sold in the US. This shows how much Americans prefer to consume milk in their daily lives.
Choosing the right milk brand might be difficult, especially when you enter the store and see tons of different brands. We read reviews, researched, and assessed most of the dairy milk brands available in the market to make it easy for you to make a healthy choice. Here’s our list of the top 10 milk brands in the United States.
Horizon Organic Brand
Horizon Organic – WhiteWave Services
If you ask a layman about the milk brand he finds the most befitting in the US, the probable answer would be Horizon Organic. Founded in 1991, this company has become one of the largest organic milk brands in North America. With more than 700 dairies in Maryland, Horizon Organic has continued its dominance over its competitors for about 30 years now. Its milk products are free of antibiotics and pesticides, and the quality of the milk remains fresh for up to seven days after you open the container.
Dean’s Dairy Pure Brand
Dean’s Dairy Pure – Dean Foods
Founded in 1925 by Samuel E. Dean Sr, Dean’s Daily Pure is a popular milk brand and a household name in the US dairy industry. The company owns more than 100 production units in the US. This brand’s milk comes from healthy, grass-fed cows. Dairy Pure is not confined to the US but is available in many parts of the world, including the UK, Netherlands, France, and Belgium.
Borden Dairy Brand
Borden Dairy is the first company to get a license for manufacturing condensed milk in the US. It is also the first company to use glass milk bottles. Gail Borden Jr. founded the company back in 1857 and has since been producing a variety of products that are enjoyed by millions of Americans. The company is headquartered in Texas, with around 12 dairy milk processing plants and nearly 100 branches across the US.
Wegmans Brand
Wegmans is another familiar name that may cross your mind when thinking about buying the top-shelf milk. This brand is known for its low fat, high nutrient organic milk. The Wegmans has over 100 branches spread out in different states of the US. The company employs over 58,000 people. Fortune has ranked the company as “the third best company to work for.” Its headquarters is located in New York.
HP Hood Brand
HP Hood is a private dairy company that was founded in 1846 by Harvey Perley Hood. It is headquartered in Lynnfield, Massachusetts. HP Hood has been in the milk business for several decades now. With more than 3,000 employees, HP Hood is one of the best dairy milk brands in the US known for its health benefits and incredible nutrition value. The company also sells other dairy products like cheese, yogurt, ice-cream, juice, and drinks.
Darigold Brand
While Darigold is a popular and healthy milk brand, it is also famous for its unique business model. The company is co-owned by 500 dairy farmers committed to delivering pure, healthy, and fully organic label milk to Americans. One of the leading grass-fed milk brands in the US, Darigold produces eight billion pounds per year and an annual sale of over $2 billion, it is not wrong to say that Darigold is a top cooperative company in the US dairy sector.
Shamrock Farms Brand
Shamrock Farms is a notable milk company that sources its milk from cows reared on its own family farms and organic pasture. Owned by the McClelland family, Shamrock Farms is located in Phoenix, Arizona. It is the largest operating dairy company in Southwest. The business started with only 20 cows in 1922, and now they have almost 10,000 cows, presenting a truly inspirational success story. Their most popular milk brand in the US is the Mmmmilk brand.
Organic Valley Brand
Only some of us would expect a business that began as a small agricultural, cooperative type to get a top spot on the list of the best grass-fed milk brands. Organic Valley is now one of the world’s largest organic consumer brands with around 1800 farms across the US, UK, Australia, and Canada. The company has branches in all 50 states of the US. It also exports its products to 25 countries. Health and nutrition experts recommend Organic Valley’s milk specifically for toddlers, saying it speeds up their growth by meeting their nutrition needs in the best way possible.
Promised Land Dairy Brand
Promised Land Dairy started with a few Jersey grass-fed cows on a small farm in Texas in 1987. It has evolved into a large dairy company today. The company produces milk of exceptional quality that is not only high in protein and calcium but also has a rich and creamy texture. Moreover, the milk comes in different flavors, ranging from midnight chocolate to old-fashioned eggnog. All of these flavors are made from their original ice-cream recipes. A glass of Promised Land Dairy has 15-18% more calcium and 15-20% more protein than an average glass of milk.
Schreiber Foods Brand
Started as a cheese company in 1945, Schreiber Foods Incorporation now deals in more dairy products like milk and yogurt as well. Fast forward to 2020; the company has become famous for its top quality milk that is neither oversweet nor too dull to taste. It is an employee-owned company whose headquarter lies in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The enterprise has more than 7000 employees and almost 12 production facilities in eight states of the US.
Conclusion
No matter which milk brand you choose, it is always a good idea to read the label for the ingredients. Remember that some manufacturers use additives and sweeteners in their dairy products. Doing a little research can save you from the adverse health effects of such brands.
The brands on this list are safe for your health because they are free of harsh chemicals, additives, pesticides, and artificial sweeteners. If you have a limited budget, you should go for whole milk like Borden or Dean’s Daily Pure. Otherwise, if you are willing to spend more and want to buy milk beneficial for children, you should opt for organic milk brands.