Sanitary Dairy History

Sanitary Dairy History

Farr View, Sanitary Dairies Merge

August 25, 1965

Officials of Sanitary Dairy, of Muskegon, and the Farr View Dairy, near Fruitport, announced plans to merge at a Tuesday night meeting of employees.

The consolidation will become effective Sept 30 with Farr View as the continuing name in the merged operation. The action reduces to four the number of dairies operating in this area. During World War II there were as many as 22.

Leslie H. Farr, president of Farr View, and Sanitary Dairy President Corliss L. Weaver, said the action was required “for economic survival of the businesses” which currently employ an average of 150 in the Greater Muskegon area, and another 30 in the west state region.

The officials pointed to studies by Michigan State University which show that out of a total of 572 dairies operating in Michigan in 1950, less than 200 are still in business, and that, by 1980, there will probably be only 35.

The projections indicate that new highways and refrigerated semi-trailers have made it possible and practical to haul bottled dairy products as far as 300 miles, and that only high volume, fully automated plants will survive.

The presidents said that this is the type of operation they plan for Muskegon, “to compete with operators who are even now bringing in packaged milk from Milwaukee and Rochester, Indiana.”

Employees were told that since there is no room for expansion at the Sanitary Dairy plant site on Laketon Avenue, that “substantial improvements” are planned at the Farr View site on Farr Road near Fruitport, geared to de-development of a full-automated, high-volume facility to serve the entire West Michigan area.

With the exception of Newaygo County, which is served mainly by Sanitary, and Manistee and Mason Counties, served by Farr View, both dairies currently cover roughly the same territory: Ottawa County north through Manistee County, and from Lake Michigan east through all or parts of Kent, Ottawa, Muskegon, Oceana, Newaygo, Lake, Mason and Manistee counties.

There will be no change of drivers or interruption of service due to the merger, or any immediate change of cartons, bottles or caps, the executives said.

It was pointed out that there has been a close working relationship between the two dairies for a number of years as they have sought to solve common problems in a highly competitive business. The merger move was described as one designed basically “to meet competition, grow and preserve jobs locally.”

Sanitary started with one route back in 1920. It now operates 44 routes in five counties and has gross annual sales of over $2,000,000. Farr View started with a single route in 1931, and now operates 50 routes in seven counties and has gross annual sales in excess of $3,000,000.

Both have acquired routes, distribution systems and the assets of other dairies in purchases over the years. In recent years, Farr View acquired Quality Dairy of Muskegon Heights, Warber Dairy of Grand Haven and, earlier this year, Briggs Dairy.

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