Kemps

Kemps is an American dairy company whose products are sold primarily through grocery retailers in the Midwestern United States. The company is headquartered in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, and operates manufacturing facilities in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Its portfolio includes fluid milk, cottage cheese, half-and-half, cream, sour cream, chip dips, eggnog, juices, yogurt, ice cream, and frozen novelties. Although the Kemps name is strongly associated with dairy products in the Upper Midwest, selected products have also been distributed in other parts of the United States. The business dates to 1914, when William Henry Kemps partnered with W. S. Lathrop, whose Minneapolis candy company was experiencing financial difficulty. The original enterprise was known as the Lathrop-Kemps Ice Cream Company and marketed ice cream under the Kemps name. Kemps later became the sole owner. In the early 1920s, health problems led him and his family to spend increasing amounts of time in California. In 1924, he sold the company to Crescent Creamery of Saint Paul, Minnesota. The two businesses were subsequently operated together as Kemps-Crescent. Kemps became part of a larger dairy platform through a sequence of mergers and ownership changes. In 1961, Kemps-Crescent combined with Marigold Dairies of Rochester, Minnesota, and Dolly Madison Dairies of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, creating Marigold Foods. Marigold later merged with Ward Food Services in 1968. Royal Wessanen, then known as NV Wessanen Koninklijke Fabrieken, acquired the business in 1978. National Dairy Holdings purchased Marigold Foods in 2001, and HP Hood acquired National Dairy Holdings in 2004 in a transaction that also involved Crowley Foods. Marigold Foods was renamed Kemps LLC in 2002 because Kemps had become the dominant consumer-facing brand in its portfolio. HP Hood sold Kemps to Dairy Farmers of America in 2011. Kemps has remained headquartered in Minnesota despite its ownership by the Kansas City-based dairy cooperative. The company has also expanded through acquisitions and related brand holdings. Its historical acquisition program included Clover Leaf Dairy, the dairy division of Fairmont Foods, Green's Ice Cream, Brown's Velvet Dairy, Cedarburg Dairy, Hagan Ice Cream, Becker's Dairy, Gillette Dairy, Goodrich Ice Cream, and Oak Grove Dairy. In 2012, Kemps acquired Cass-Clay, a Fargo, North Dakota dairy business. Cass-Clay and Goodrich Ice Cream have continued as Kemps subsidiaries, while several other acquired brands were later sold, discontinued, or placed under different ownership. Today, Kemps functions as a regional dairy manufacturer and brand house rather than a broadly international consumer-goods company. Its competitive position is based on regional distribution, a broad refrigerated and frozen portfolio, established retail relationships, and the recognition of the Kemps name in Midwestern dairy markets.

Kemps began in 1914 when William Henry Kemps entered a partnership with W. S. Lathrop, whose Minneapolis candy company was close to failure. The resulting business, initially called the Lathrop-Kemps Ice Cream Company, produced and sold ice cream under the Kemps name. The partnership did not last, and Kemps became the sole owner of the enterprise. Kemps experienced chronic health problems and was advised in 1921 that Minnesota winters could threaten his survival. He and his family began spending time in California, eventually purchasing a home in Beverly Hills. In 1924, Kemps sold the Minnesota company to Crescent Creamery of Saint Paul. Crescent's owners, Arthur, Howard, and W. R. Cammack, operated the businesses together under the Kemps-Crescent name. The company entered a broader consolidation phase in 1961, when Kemps-Crescent merged with Marigold Dairies of Rochester, Minnesota, and Dolly Madison Dairies of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. The combination created Marigold Foods. Marigold merged with Ward Food Services of Maplewood, Minnesota, in 1968. In 1978, Dutch food company NV Wessanen Koninklijke Fabrieken, later known as Royal Wessanen, acquired Marigold Foods from Ward Food Services. National Dairy Holdings bought Marigold Foods and its subsidiaries in 2001. The corporate business was renamed Kemps LLC in 2002 because most of its products were marketed under the Kemps name. HP Hood acquired National Dairy Holdings in 2004 in a transaction that also involved Crowley Foods. HP Hood owned Kemps until 2011, when Dairy Farmers of America purchased the company. Kemps expanded through a series of acquisitions. These included Clover Leaf Dairy Company in 1979; the dairy division of Fairmont Foods in 1980; Green's Ice Cream in 1992; Brown's Velvet Dairy and Cedarburg Dairy in 1993; Hagan Ice Cream in 1996; Becker's Dairy in 1998; Gillette Dairy and Goodrich Ice Cream in 1999; and Oak Grove Dairy in 2000. In 2012, after becoming part of Dairy Farmers of America, Kemps acquired Cass-Clay of Fargo, North Dakota. The continuing status of these businesses has varied: Cass-Clay and Goodrich Ice Cream remained associated with Kemps, while Green's and Hagan became subsidiaries of HP Hood and several other acquired brands were discontinued or sold. Kemps also participated in an Arrowhead Dairy joint venture with Franklin Foods of Duluth, Minnesota, and Associated Milk Producers. The related plant was closed by Franklin Foods in 2013. In its current form, Kemps is a regional dairy manufacturer headquartered in St. Louis Park. It operates five manufacturing facilities across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa, and sells a wide range of refrigerated and frozen dairy products principally through Midwestern grocery channels.

• 2012

  Cass-Clay acquisition

  [1]Kempsen.wikipedia.org

  Kemps acquires Cass-Clay of Fargo, North Dakota.

• 2011

  Dairy Farmers of America ownership begins

  [1]Kempsen.wikipedia.org

  Dairy Farmers of America purchases Kemps from HP Hood.

• 2004

  HP Hood ownership begins

  [1]Kempsen.wikipedia.org

  HP Hood acquires National Dairy Holdings in a transaction involving Kemps and Crowley Foods.

• 2002

  Corporate name becomes Kemps LLC

  [1]Kempsen.wikipedia.org

  Marigold Foods adopts the Kemps LLC name as the Kemps brand becomes central to the product portfolio.

• 2001

  National Dairy Holdings acquisition

  [1]Kempsen.wikipedia.org

  National Dairy Holdings purchases Marigold Foods and its subsidiaries from Royal Wessanen.

• 1978

  Royal Wessanen acquisition

  [1]Kempsen.wikipedia.org

  NV Wessanen Koninklijke Fabrieken acquires Marigold Foods from Ward Food Services.

• 1961

  Formation of Marigold Foods

  [1]Kempsen.wikipedia.org

  Kemps-Crescent combines with Marigold Dairies and Dolly Madison Dairies to form Marigold Foods.

• 1924

  Sale to Crescent Creamery

  [1]Kempsen.wikipedia.org

  William Henry Kemps sells the company to Crescent Creamery of Saint Paul, which operates the businesses together as Kemps-Crescent.

• 1914

  Kemps is founded

  [1]Kempsen.wikipedia.org

  William Henry Kemps and W. S. Lathrop establish the Lathrop-Kemps Ice Cream Company in Minneapolis.

A regional, full-range dairy brand emphasizing grocery availability and familiarity in the Midwestern United States. Its portfolio spans everyday refrigerated dairy staples as well as ice cream, frozen novelties, cultured products, and selected beverage products.

• Fluid dairy

  Kemps Milk

  Kemps milk is the company's core refrigerated dairy line and is distributed primarily through grocery stores in the Midwestern United States. The range forms the foundation of the brand's household dairy offering.

• Cultured dairy

  Kemps Cultured Dairy

  The cultured portfolio includes yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, and chip dips. These products extend the brand beyond drinking milk into refrigerated meal, snack, and cooking occasions.

• Refrigerated dairy

  Kemps Cream and Egg Products

  Kemps sells cream, half-and-half, and eggnog for beverage, cooking, baking, and seasonal consumption. Availability varies by product and market.

• Frozen desserts

  Kemps Ice Cream and Frozen Novelties

  Ice cream and frozen novelties connect Kemps to its historical identity as an ice cream business. The category includes packaged frozen desserts sold through retail grocery channels.

• Juices and beverages

  Kemps Juices

  Juices are part of Kemps' broader dairy-case and refrigerated beverage assortment, although the company's principal market identity remains dairy.

• Dairy brand subsidiary · 2012

  Cass-Clay

  Cass-Clay is a dairy business acquired by Kemps in 2012 and based in Fargo, North Dakota. It remains part of the Kemps portfolio.

• Ice cream subsidiary · 1999

  Goodrich Ice Cream

  Goodrich Ice Cream, acquired in 1999, is identified as a continuing Kemps subsidiary associated with the company's frozen-dessert operations.

• 2012

  Acquisition of Cass-ClayM&A

  Background

  Kemps pursued acquisitions to broaden its regional dairy business and brand portfolio.

  Action taken

  Kemps acquired Cass-Clay of Fargo, North Dakota.

  Aftermath

  Cass-Clay became a Kemps subsidiary and extended the company's presence in the Upper Midwest.

  Source

• 2011

  Sale to Dairy Farmers of AmericaM&A

  Background

  HP Hood owned Kemps after acquiring National Dairy Holdings in 2004.

  Action taken

  Dairy Farmers of America purchased Kemps from HP Hood.

  Aftermath

  Kemps became a subsidiary of Dairy Farmers of America while retaining its St. Louis Park headquarters.

  Source

• 2002

  Adopt the Kemps corporate identityStrategy

  Background

  The business was still legally associated with Marigold Foods, but most of its products were sold under the Kemps name.

  Action taken

  Marigold Foods was renamed Kemps LLC.

  Aftermath

  The change aligned the corporate identity with the company's principal consumer brand.

  Source

1. 1Kempsen.wikipedia.org