PA Preferred® Maola Local Dairies brings farm fresh milk to your table through a unique model benefitting local farmers and consumers alike. This sustainable, family farm owned cooperative offers a full suite of nutritious Pennsylvania dairy products.
We spoke with Amanda Culp, Director of Communications & Marketing at Maola Local Dairies about operating in Pennsylvania, what sets this company apart and the ways it’s set to evolve in the near future.
Maola offers a wide range of products, primarily milk, buttermilk and cream. Culp says, “Our most popular products are our whole milk, extra rich whole chocolate milk and our variety of creams. There’s one to fit every need!”
All of these fresh and flavorful products are made with milk that’s sustainably sourced from Pennsylvania farms, strengthening the local economy and food system and qualifying Maola Local Dairies for the PA Preferred program. “We love PA Preferred because it helps us recognize the hard work of our Pennsylvania dairy farm families and gives us an upper edge when forming relationships with Pennsylvania based retailers,” Culp says.
The Burkholder family
Through a commitment to sustainability, the dairy farms of Maola Local Dairies produce about 8% less greenhouse gas emissions than the national average. Eco-friendly practices like use of cover crops, anaerobic digestion, no till farming and riparian buffers all contribute to that achievement, which sets the cooperative apart. “Sustainability is our point of differentiation,” says Culp. “Maola dairy farmers are dedicated to implementing sustainable solutions that promote healthier cows, communities, and a healthier planet. Our farms are adopting farming practices to achieve greenhouse gas neutrality, optimize water use, and improve local water quality.”
Maola Local Dairies has raised over $100 million for on-farm sustainability practices that offer synergistic benefits to animal quality, environmental quality and quality of life for the farm families. Culp says that its supply chain partners, including major grocery retailers and Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay have been critically important in this work.
Sustainability is not the only way Maola Local Dairies pioneers a better future. Culp says, “We are a growing, forward-leaning dairy cooperative with a keen eye for developing products that consumers love. We have several new products on the horizon due to our farmers’ investment in our new processing plant in Philadelphia. We can’t wait to share them with consumers!”
Look for the growing line of Maola Local Dairies products at Weis Markets, Redner’s Markets, Food Lion and other retailers. Use Maola’s “Where to buy?” search tool to find a seller near you. And, as Culp says, “Can’t find us? Ask the store manager for ‘Maola!’”
This series was created in collaboration with PA Preferred.
PA Preferred® is Pennsylvania’s statewide branding program that promotes locally grown and processed food and other agricultural products.
- Photos: Maola Local Dairies
