Mayfield Dairy

{{Short description|Dairy products company in the United States}} {{Infobox company | name = Mayfield Dairy Farms | logo = MayfieldDairyFarms company logo.png | logo_size = 150 | type = Subsidiary | traded_as = | fate = | predecessor = | successor = | foundation = {{Start date and age|1923}} | founder = T.B. Mayfield, Jr. | defunct =  | location_city = Athens, Tennessee | location_country = U.S. | location = | locations = | area_served = Southeastern United States | key_people = Scottie Mayfield (president) | industry = Dairy | products = Milk, chocolate milk, ice cream, juice | services = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | aum =  | assets = | equity = | owner = | num_employees = 350-400 | parent = Dean Foods (1990-2020), Dairy Farmers of America (2020-present) | divisions = | subsid = | homepage = {{URL|https://www.mayfielddairy.com/|mayfielddairy.com}} | footnotes = | intl = }} '''Mayfield Dairy Farms''' is an American dairy products company, with its headquarters in Athens, Tennessee and additional production plants in Birmingham, Alabama. From 1990 to 2020 it was under the ownership of Dean Foods. Dairy Farmers of America acquired Dean Foods, and therefore Mayfield, in March 2020.

Current Mayfield's range of products include milk, chocolate milk, ice cream, and juice.

==History== The company was founded in 1923 by T.B. Mayfield, Jr., and is now run by his grandson, Scottie Mayfield.<ref name="History">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080206184804/http://mayfielddairy.com/company/ Official company history], company website (accessed September 13, 2007)</ref> It employs nearly 2,000 people.<ref name="History" /> Mayfield products are sold in twelve states:<ref name="History" /> Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Florida, Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Louisiana, Mississippi and Delaware.<ref name="Diva">[http://bloombergmarketing.blogs.com/bloomberg_marketing/2006/09/tobydiva_market.html A New CEO Blog From Mayfield Dairy Farms], Diva Marketing Blog, Sep 18, 2006</ref>

Dean Foods bought Mayfield Dairy in 1990.<ref>[https://www.chicagotribune.com/1990/01/03/dean-foods-acquires-tennessee-based-dairy/ Dean Foods Acquires Tennessee-based Dairy]</ref>

==Innovations== Mayfield is known for a history of innovation. The company boasts that founder T.B. Mayfield had the first milk plant in the area capable of pasteurizing milk.<ref>[http://www.factorytoursusa.com/TourDetails.asp?TourID=350&State=&Search=a&CategoryID= Factory Tours USA] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071121100525/http://www.factorytoursusa.com/TourDetails.asp?TourID=350&State=&Search=a&CategoryID= |date=2007-11-21 }}</ref>

In 1970 Mayfield's Athens plant was the first in the industry to successfully implement in-plant blow-molding for production of plastic milk jugs.<ref name=ChuggingAlong/> In 1988 Mayfield was the first dairy to use an opaque plastic milk jug that protects milk from ultraviolet light.<ref>[http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/news/ng.asp?id=27677-smart-ice-cream Smart ice cream carton] on Food Production Daily website, 3 July 2002</ref> In 1995, Mayfield launched the single-serve Chug milk bottle for Dean Foods.<ref name=ChuggingAlong>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061019234402/http://www.dairyfield.com/content.php?s=DF%2F2004%2F10&p=1 Chugging Along: Tradition and innovation make Mayfield Dairy Farms an important member of the Dean family], ''Dairy Field'' (magazine), October 2004</ref> The single-serve bottle increased milk consumption by letting milk compete with single-serving soft drinks.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20020724050813/http://www.ablemgt.com/CORGA/corgamembers/cm321news2.html News Update], Central Ohio Retail Grocers Association</ref> In 2002 its Clik-Top re-sealable ice cream carton, including a break-seal that makes the package easier to open and a locking tab to keep the carton closed during storage, was greeted as a packaging first.<ref>[http://www.foodproductiondaily.com/news/ng.asp?id=27677-smart-ice-cream Smart ice cream carton] on Food Production Daily website, 03 July 2002, and [http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-2543423/Packaging-that-works-right-now.html Packaging that 'works right now' helps sell the good at Mayfield Dairy], January 1, 2003.</ref>

In 2006 Mayfield started a multi-author company blog, featuring posts by CEO Scottie Mayfield, stories from inside the business, news about new ice cream flavors, and articles submitted by customers. The Mayfield Dairy Blog was featured on the Diva Marketing Blog as an example of the use of social media in marketing.<ref name="Diva"/> In 2007 the company won an Effie Award, presented by the American Marketing Association for successfully marketing four new ice cream flavors without discounts, using a campaign in which customers were encouraged to "vote" for their favorite new flavor.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110710172555/http://www.effiejournal.com/effieawards/2007ea/?pg=76 Effie Awards – 2007]}}</ref>

==Visitor centers==

thumb|Mayfield's cow

The company maintains a visitor center in Athens, Tennessee and offers tours of its production plant there.<ref>[http://www.mayfielddairy.com/visitors/ Mayfield Visitor Centers] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070906025500/http://www.mayfielddairy.com/visitors/ |date=2007-09-06 }}, company website (accessed September 13, 2007)</ref> The company shut down its only other visitor center, located in Braselton, Georgia, in 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bechtel |first=Wyatt |date=November 11, 2020 |title=Dean Foods Closing Mayfield Dairy Plant in Georgia |url=https://www.dairyherd.com/news/business/dean-foods-closing-mayfield-dairy-plant-georgia |access-date=July 25, 2025 |website=Dairy Herd Management}}</ref>

==See also== *Squround

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== * {{official website}}

Category:Dairy products companies of the United States Category:Dean Foods brands Category:Companies based in Tennessee Category:McMinn County, Tennessee Category:Single-serve containers Category:Ice cream brands Category:1923 establishments in Tennessee Category:American companies established in 1923 Category:Food and drink companies established in 1923 Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019