NOVI, Mich.— The Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) was recently awarded top honors from the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest, winning six titles in three categories: salted butter, unsalted butter, and flavored butter.
MMPA’s processing plant in Constantine, Michigan swept the unsalted butter category, winning first, second and third place. Constantine also captured second place in the salted butter competition. The Ovid, Michigan plant produced the second and third place entries in this year’s flavored butter competition. MMPA has competed in the nationwide contest for five years.
“The combination of our members’ exceptional quality milk with a dedication to excellence from our plant employees’ has once again been recognized at the World Dairy Expo,” MMPA General Manager Joe Diglio stated. “MMPA received awards for the butter produced in both our manufacturing facilities, an honor that solidifies the superior quality of our products.”
The World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest is the only North American judging contest which encompasses all dairy products. The contest received over one thousand entries in 71 product classes including cheese, butter, fluid milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream, sour cream, sherbet, cultured milk, sour cream dips, whipping cream, dried whey and creative/innovative products from throughout the United States.
A contest auction of all first place entries took place during the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wisconsin on Sept. 29. As a result of this contest, the Wisconsin Dairy Products Association (WDPA) annually funds two scholarships for students preparing for careers in the dairy industry. WDPA also funds a culinary arts scholarship and donates to the National Collegiate Judging Contest which trains college students the art of evaluating dairy products.
MMPA operates two Michigan manufacturing plants in Constantine and Ovid. In addition to butter, MMPA’s plants manufacture nonfat dry milk, condensed skim milk, cream and whole milk powder. MMPA sells its products to food manufacturers who make infant formulas, candy, ice cream, pudding, baked goods, cheese and yogurt. After achieving Level 2 Safe Quality Foods (SQF) Certification in 2014, MMPA recently attained Level 3 SQF Certification—the highest level possible—at both manufacturing plants in July 2015.
MMPA, established in 1916, is a member owned and operated dairy cooperative serving approximately 2,000 dairy farmers in Michigan, Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin.