Stonyfield Farm Business Profile
In 1983, Stonyfield Farm began as a project of a small family-run organic farming school with with “7 cows and a good yogurt recipe.” in 2001 Stonyfield Farm, Inc. began a “strategic partnership with Groupe Danone (Danone), a France-based consumer products company with well-established brands including Evian and Dannon. With the partnership, Stonyfield Farm was able to draw upon Danone’s world-wide knowledge and processes in manufacturing, logistics and purchasing.
Danone purchased all shares not owned by employees in 2003, making Stonyfield Farm one of their subsidiaries. Luckily for Stonyfield Farm, consumers and Chairman/Presidnet Gary Hirshberg, he constinues to manage the company independently and retain majority board control.
Under the leadership of President and “CE-Yo” (that’s a little Stonyfield Farm humor) Gary Hirshberg, Stonyfield Farm currently earns more than $250 million in annual sales. That amounts to a a 12-year compounded annual growth rate of a little over 26%. Today they produce approximately 18 million cups of yogurt a month.
Stonyfield Farm relies on a delicious product, innovative marketing techniques (they wer one of the first companies to blog), and a commitment to be an environmentally and socially responsible and profitable business.
There are a number of factors which contribute to the amazing quality of a container of Stonyfield Yogurt. If you want to know about what kind of company Stonyfield Farm is, just look at their products. Their commitment to organics and to creating health-promoting products is unparalleled.
The Products
Stonyfield Farm produces organic yogurt, all natural yogurt, yogurt smoothies, culture soy, frozen yogurt, ice cream and milk. Stonyfield Farm also produces conveniently packaged organic yogurt for babies, toddler and kids. About a decade ago, you could only find Stonyfield Farm products in whole foods markets and health food stores. Now, Stonyfield yogurts sit proudly in the dairy case of your local supermarket.
1. Stonyfield Farm leaves the bad stuff out You will never find any preservatives, artificial flavors, colors or sweeteners. Stonyfield Farm also only uses premium milk from farmers who have pledged not to use the synthetic bovine growth hormone, rrBGH. What else does Stonyfield Farm purposefully leave out? All of the organic ingredients in their yogurt were produced without antibiotics, synthetic growth hormones and toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers.
2. Stonyfield Farms adds the healthy stuff. Stonyfield yogurt inlcudes inulin, a natural dietary fiber and is also touted as a natural way to help boost calcium absorption. Stonyfield Farms adds six live active cultures into all of their yogurt. Unique to Stonyfield yogurt is the L. reuteri culture, which helps boost the body’s immune system and enhances the body’s resistance to gastrointestinal disease. No other yogurt brand in the U.S. adds this probiotic.
Probiotics
Probiotics is a fancy name for beneficial bacteria. Although probiotics naturally occur in our digstive tracts, they need to be replenished. Benefits of probiotics include good digestive health, increased immune system and improved intestinal function.
Earth Friendly
What also sets Stonyfield Farm apart from so many other companies is its embedded ideals of helping to create and maintain sustainable agriculture and sustainable living. How do they do this?
1. Stonyfield Farm keeps the local farmer working, by supporting family farms and organic agriculture. Not only does Stonyfield Farm support hundred of farmers by purchasing their organic milk from them, they’ve actually helped farmers convert from conventional dairy practices to organic. Although the process takes several years, by converting to organic milk production, the farm families will be paid more for their milk.
2. Stonyfield Farm uses the best environmental practices from their packaging choices to minimizing solid waste and conserving energy, Stonyfield Farm is committed to be responsible.
3. Stonyfield Farm donates 10 percent of its profits to organizations and for projects that work on the protection and restoration of the earth.
Commitment to healthy and organic products and social and environmental resposibility are at the heart of why Stonyfield Farm has grown has grown from a seven cow business to one that employs more than 200 employees. Stonyfield Farm is located in Londonderry, New Hampshire.
