Mayfield Dairy

Mayfield Dairy, formally Mayfield Dairy Farms, is an American dairy products company headquartered in Athens, Tennessee. Founded in 1923 by T. B. Mayfield Jr., the business developed from a local milk operation into a regional dairy manufacturer and consumer brand serving the southeastern and neighboring parts of the United States. Its principal product categories include fluid milk, chocolate milk, ice cream, and juice. The company’s history is closely associated with manufacturing and packaging innovation. Mayfield has identified its founder’s plant as the first in its local area capable of pasteurizing milk. The Athens operation later became an important site for packaging development: in 1970 it reportedly became the first dairy plant in the industry to implement in-plant blow-molding for plastic milk jugs. In 1988, Mayfield introduced an opaque plastic jug designed to reduce ultraviolet-light exposure, addressing a packaging and product-protection issue affecting milk quality. These innovations helped establish the company’s reputation not only as a dairy producer but also as a participant in the modernization of dairy packaging. Mayfield expanded its consumer offering and distribution during the late twentieth century. Dean Foods acquired the company in 1990, bringing Mayfield into a larger national dairy organization while retaining the Mayfield name as a regional brand. In 1995, Mayfield introduced the Chug single-serve milk bottle for Dean Foods. The package was intended to make milk more convenient to consume and more competitive with single-serving soft drinks. In 2002, the company introduced the Clik-Top resealable ice-cream carton, which used a break-seal and locking tab to improve opening and storage. The brand has also used direct engagement and digital marketing. In 2006, Mayfield launched a multi-author company blog featuring contributions from chief executive Scottie Mayfield, employee and company stories, product news, new ice-cream flavors, and customer submissions. The blog was cited in marketing commentary as an example of corporate social-media use. In 2007, Mayfield received an Effie Award for a campaign supporting four new ice-cream flavors. Rather than relying on discounts, the campaign encouraged consumers to vote for their preferred flavor. Mayfield remained part of Dean Foods until 2020. When Dairy Farmers of America acquired Dean Foods in March 2020, Mayfield became part of Dairy Farmers of America’s operations. The brand continues to operate as a regional dairy business, with production facilities in Athens and Birmingham, Alabama. Its products are sold across a multi-state territory centered on the Southeast. The company has also maintained a public-facing visitor center and plant-tour program in Athens. A second visitor center in Braselton, Georgia, was closed in 2020.

Mayfield Dairy Farms was established in 1923 by T. B. Mayfield Jr. in Tennessee. The company’s early identity was built around milk processing and regional distribution. Mayfield has described its founding operation as the first milk plant in its local area capable of pasteurizing milk, placing food-safety processing at the center of its early development. Over time, the company became known for applying new production and packaging methods to dairy products. In 1970, the Athens plant became the first in the industry to successfully implement in-plant blow-molding for plastic milk jugs, allowing containers to be produced as part of the dairy’s own manufacturing process. In 1988, Mayfield introduced an opaque plastic milk jug intended to shield milk from ultraviolet light. The innovation reflected the company’s broader interest in protecting product quality through packaging design. Dean Foods acquired Mayfield Dairy in 1990. Under Dean Foods, Mayfield continued to operate as a recognizable regional brand while contributing products and packaging ideas to the larger dairy group. In 1995, Mayfield launched the Chug single-serve milk bottle for Dean Foods. The bottle made milk portable and positioned it more directly against the convenience of single-serving soft drinks. In 2002, Mayfield introduced the Clik-Top ice-cream carton, featuring a break-seal for easier opening and a locking tab intended to keep the package closed during storage. The business also experimented with new forms of consumer communication. In 2006, it began publishing a multi-author corporate blog. Posts included material from Scottie Mayfield, company and employee stories, product developments, new ice-cream flavors, and customer contributions. The blog was subsequently discussed by marketing observers as an example of a branded social-media initiative. In 2007, Mayfield’s campaign for four new ice-cream flavors won an Effie Award. Consumers were invited to vote for their favorite flavor, and the campaign emphasized participation rather than discounting. Mayfield’s corporate ownership changed again in March 2020, when Dairy Farmers of America acquired Dean Foods and consequently acquired Mayfield. The company’s principal facilities are in Athens, Tennessee, and Birmingham, Alabama. Its products are distributed across a regional territory that includes thirteen states: Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Delaware. The company has been described as employing nearly 2,000 people, although the available reference does not establish a current employment figure. Mayfield has maintained a visitor center and production-tour program in Athens, linking the manufacturing site with consumer education and brand experience. Its other visitor center, in Braselton, Georgia, closed in 2020. Today, Mayfield remains an active regional dairy brand under Dairy Farmers of America, with a portfolio centered on milk, chocolate milk, ice cream, and juice.

• 2020

  Dairy Farmers of America acquires Mayfield through Dean Foods transaction

  [1]Mayfield Dairyen.wikipedia.org

  Dairy Farmers of America acquired Dean Foods and thereby became Mayfield’s owner.

• 2007

  Effie Award for ice-cream marketing

  [1]Mayfield Dairyen.wikipedia.org

  Mayfield won an Effie Award for a consumer-voting campaign supporting four new ice-cream flavors without discounts.

• 2006

  Mayfield launches company blog

  [1]Mayfield Dairyen.wikipedia.org

  Mayfield began publishing a multi-author blog covering company life, products, flavors, and customer contributions.

• 2002

  Clik-Top ice-cream carton introduced

  [1]Mayfield Dairyen.wikipedia.org

  The company introduced a resealable ice-cream carton with a break-seal and locking tab.

• 1995

  Chug single-serve bottle launched

  [1]Mayfield Dairyen.wikipedia.org

  Mayfield launched the Chug single-serve milk bottle for Dean Foods.

• 1990

  Dean Foods acquires Mayfield

  [1]Mayfield Dairyen.wikipedia.org

  Dean Foods purchased Mayfield Dairy, beginning a three-decade period under Dean Foods ownership.

• 1988

  Opaque milk jug introduced

  [1]Mayfield Dairyen.wikipedia.org

  Mayfield became the first dairy identified in the reference material to use an opaque plastic milk jug designed to protect milk from ultraviolet light.

• 1970

  In-plant blow-molding introduced

  [1]Mayfield Dairyen.wikipedia.org

  The Athens plant became the first in the industry to successfully implement in-plant blow-molding for plastic milk jugs.

• 1923

  Mayfield Dairy is founded

  [1]Mayfield Dairyen.wikipedia.org

  T. B. Mayfield Jr. founded the dairy company in Tennessee.

A regional American dairy brand positioned around milk and frozen-dessert products, Southern distribution, manufacturing heritage, packaging innovation, and consumer familiarity.

• Dairy beverages · 1923

  Fluid milk

  Fluid milk is Mayfield’s foundational product category and remains central to the brand’s identity. The company’s manufacturing history emphasizes pasteurization, regional dairy processing, and packaging improvements designed to preserve quality. Mayfield sells milk across its southeastern and neighboring United States distribution territory.

• Flavored dairy beverages

  Chocolate milk

  Mayfield chocolate milk extends the company’s fluid-milk range with a flavored dairy beverage. It is part of the brand’s established regional portfolio and is distributed through the same broad multi-state market served by Mayfield’s other dairy products.

• Frozen desserts

  Ice cream

  Ice cream is one of Mayfield’s most visible consumer categories and has supported several of the company’s packaging and marketing initiatives. Mayfield introduced the Clik-Top resealable carton in 2002 and promoted new flavors through a consumer-voting campaign that later received an Effie Award.

• Non-dairy beverages

  Juice

  Juice is included in Mayfield’s current product range alongside milk, chocolate milk, and ice cream. The available reference identifies the category but does not provide a detailed account of individual juice products or launch dates.

• Single-serve milk packaging · 1995

  Chug

  Chug was a single-serve milk bottle launched in 1995 for Dean Foods. Its portable format was designed to make milk more convenient and to help it compete with single-serving soft drinks in convenience-oriented consumption occasions.

• Ice-cream packaging · 2002

  Clik-Top

  Clik-Top was a resealable ice-cream carton introduced in 2002. Its design incorporated a break-seal intended to make the carton easier to open and a locking tab intended to keep it closed during storage. The package was presented as a packaging innovation in the dairy industry.

• 2007New ice-cream flavor consumer-voting campaign

  United States

  Mayfield promoted four new ice-cream flavors by inviting consumers to vote for their favorite. The campaign emphasized participation and product discovery instead of promotional price reductions.

  Outcome. The campaign won an Effie Award.

  Source

• 2020

  Transfer ownership to Dairy Farmers of AmericaM&A

  Background

  Mayfield had been owned by Dean Foods since 1990. Dairy Farmers of America acquired Dean Foods in March 2020.

  Action taken

  Mayfield became part of Dairy Farmers of America through the Dean Foods acquisition.

  Aftermath

  Mayfield continued as an active regional dairy brand under its new owner.

  Source

• 2002

  Introduce Clik-Top ice-cream packagingProduct launch

  Background

  Mayfield continued to use packaging design to improve the consumer experience of dairy products.

  Action taken

  The company launched a resealable carton with a break-seal and locking tab.

  Aftermath

  The carton was described as a packaging first and was intended to simplify opening and storage.

  Source

• 1995

  Launch the Chug single-serve milk bottleProduct launch

  Background

  Milk faced competition from convenient single-serving soft drinks.

  Action taken

  Mayfield launched the Chug bottle for Dean Foods as a portable, single-serve milk format.

  Aftermath

  The format was intended to increase milk consumption by improving convenience.

  Source

• 1988

  Introduce an opaque plastic milk jugProduct launch

  Background

  Mayfield sought to address the effect of ultraviolet light on milk packaging and product protection.

  Action taken

  The company introduced an opaque plastic milk jug designed to limit ultraviolet-light exposure.

  Aftermath

  The package became part of Mayfield’s history of dairy-container innovation.

  Source

• 1970

  Adopt in-plant blow-molding for milk jugsOther

  Background

  Mayfield pursued production and packaging improvements at its Athens facility.

  Action taken

  The plant implemented in-plant blow-molding for plastic milk jugs.

  Aftermath

  The change became one of the company’s notable manufacturing innovations.

  Source

1. 1Mayfield Dairyen.wikipedia.org