Producing over 150 SKUs, Darigold’s ultrapasteurized milk plant in Portland, Ore., has to stay flexible and organized to manage its complicated production schedules. While the plant might be older on the facility side, Darigold has invested in flexible operation systems to make it functional for today’s needs.

This photo gallery contains additional, unpublished photos of dairy processing facilities featured in Dairy Foods magazine. To view more Behind the Scenes galleries go to our archives page!

Visitors to Graeter's would spy numerous somewhat peculiar-looking stainless-steel stations, distributed across four and a half rows, housing stainless-steel buckets. These station-and-bucket combinations are vat freezers, or modernized French Pots, and they are the main reason the plant employs so many people. Graeter's has relied on the labor-intensive French Pot process since the company's founding almost 150 years ago.

This photo gallery contains additional, unpublished photos of dairy processing facilities featured in Dairy Foods magazine. To view more Behind the Scenes galleries go to our archives page!

Rumiano Cheese Co.’s plant produces award-winning organic and conventional cheeses, along with whey protein concentrate (WPC-80%), dried edible lactose and European-style butter.

This photo gallery contains additional, unpublished photos of dairy processing facilities featured in Dairy Foods magazine. To view more Behind the Scenes galleries go to our archives page!

Cedar Crest Ice Cream makes an impressive amount of ice cream in its 45,408-square-foot facility in Manitowoc, Wis. The plant currently produces approximately 26 million pounds of product annually. The company uses the space wisely and continues to upgrade equipment and technology as product demand increases.

This photo gallery contains additional, unpublished photos of dairy processing facilities featured in Dairy Foods magazine. To view more Behind the Scenes galleries go to our archives page!

Clover Sonoma’s four brand-new 50,000-gallon stainless steel milk silos hover over the landscape in Petaluma, Calif. Before entering the dairy plant, one can get a window – literally – into the operation.

This photo gallery contains additional, unpublished photos of dairy processing facilities featured in Dairy Foods magazine. To view more Behind the Scenes galleries go to our archives page!

Dairies are relatively safer than some other food manufacturing plants. Within the dairy industry, ice cream plants pose more dangers.

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At their creamery in Colora the Kilbys bottle fresh milk and churn ice cream. They have a growing home delivery business and a busy ice cream shop. The ice cream store participates in agri-tourism events that show the public where their food comes from.

This photo gallery contains additional, unpublished photos of dairy processing facilities featured in Dairy Foods magazine. To view more Behind the Scenes galleries go to our archives page!

Processors know that the design, shape and color of its product’s packaging can affect the decision-making of a busy shopper. Packaging needs to grab attention and convey the company’s message, and now, in some cases, be more space-saving as well. Take a look at some of the packaging concepts showing up in dairy cases today — they are becoming more competitive, innovative and some might even say, bold.

See the full story behind these packages and trends here: Space-saving cheese pouches, clear containers are packaging trends.