TOWN OF DEWITT – Byrne Dairy Inc.’s DeWitt facility has been named the 2022 Dairy Plant of the Year by Dairy Foods Magazine.
Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, the magazine reports on dairy processing news, industry trends and success stories. In the case of the Byrne Dairy plant, the recent recognition is owed to the local company’s continued emphasis on planning for tomorrow.
According to the featured article on dairyfoods.com, the family-owned business founded in 1933 is operating 18 months to two years ahead of the curve at all times because it takes a full year to receive equipment and an additional half a year to install it.
Another acknowledged accomplishment of the plant at 6750 West Benedict Road is its introduction of aseptic production, which has extended shelf life for the milk and cream products kept in sterilized containers at ambient temperature. Though the plant had sterilizers and homogenizers on hand as early as 2004—its opening year—the decision to fully implement aseptic capabilities came to fruition amid supply chain issues and the growing COVID pandemic.
During that stretch of time, the company adjusted to ensure its employees maintained a sense of financial well-being. According to CEO Carl Byrne, wages were raised in many cases by $5 an hour to accommodate those who needed to provide care for their children learning virtually at home.
Early on, the heads of Byrne Dairy educated employees about maintaining safe practices during the pandemic, establishing masking, three-foot distancing and facility entrance guidelines to become a model for instituting preventative measures. A virology and immunology expert was brought onto the board of directors as well.
With regard to food safety and freshness, Byrne Dairy has a quality group look at samples from farms while the food process authority Dover Brook Associates assists the plant in meeting regulatory safety requirements.
The plant also incorporates sustainability practices, which has included purchases of trucks with better fuel efficiency and investments in programming that tracks drivers’ idle time.
Employing 210 people altogether and containing 10 production lines, the plant and its newly constructed wastewater treatment facility span over 200,000 square feet, a jump from its beginnings as a 40,000-square-foot facility.
The fourth-generation business will celebrate its 90th birthday in February. Currently six members of that generation are involved with day-to-day operations.
From the 1930s on, the company went from selling milk it bottled within a half-mile of a plant in downtown Syracuse to shippings that go to nearly 40 states.
The recent award is given annually to dairy manufacturers that achieve excellence in one or more of the following categories: plant expansion, new construction, sustainability, food safety, employee safety, plant efficiencies, COVID-related efforts and new technology. According to brand marketing manager Nicole Ossevoort, this is the first time that Byrne Dairy has received the accolade.
“It’s a great privilege to be named Dairy Plant of the Year,” Byrne said. “We are grateful for the last 90 years and are looking forward to the future. Our team continues to go above and beyond to produce a quality product, and we want to extend our gratitude for their commitment and teamwork—this award is for them.”
In the next year, the company plans to open a sister plant in Cortland and add five more filling lines.
For more information, visit byrnedairy.com.