Hiland Dairy began in Springfield, Missouri, in 1938 by two men, Mr. Putman and Mr. Carter, who used a gas-powered electric generator to facilitate the milking of a 50-cow herd. All sales at this time were conducted door-to-door to homes in the area. Hiland Dairy was one of about 40 such dairies that existed around Springfield in the late 1930s.
In 1948, Hiland moved to a single, two-story brick building on old Route 66. Mr. Putman worked hard for many years and developed the business until 1979, when he sold the operation to Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. and Dairy Farmers of America, Incorporated. Hiland Dairy was now jointly owned by these two dairy farmer cooperatives.
Since the late 1970s, Hiland has competed against the much larger Foremost Dairy. Today, Hiland is the only locally operated dairy due in large part to its single-minded commitment to quality. Hiland’s stringent production standards exceed the toughest state and federal requirements which help ensure the highest quality dairy products available.
Currently, Hiland has eight manufacturing plants located in:
In addition to these plants, 25 distribution sites are located around a six-state area that includes: