Ramsey County History – Summer 2021: “How It Started; How It’s Going: Land O’Lakes Celebrates Ten Decades of Innovation”

How It Started; How It’s Going: Land O’Lakes Celebrates Ten Decades of Innovation
Author: Karen Mellott-Fosier

Arden Hills-based Land O’Lakes, Inc. celebrates a milestone birthday in 2021. A century ago on June 7, 1921, representatives from 320 of the state’s co-op creameries gathered in the old state capitol building at Tenth and Wabasha Streets in St. Paul and created Minnesota Cooperative Creameries Association, forming a business developed, owned, and operated by and for the benefit of its members. Why did many Minnesota farmers choose to join this overarching association? They had three initial goals: make a better butter, standardize business practices in the dairy industry, and improve distribution and marketing. And speaking of marketing, they needed a catchy name for their sweet cream butter, so they ran a contest. Two creative Minnesotans submitted “Land O’Lakes” for the butter brand. Shortly, thereafter, it became the permanent name of the company, as well. That was just the beginning. Today, Land O’Lakes is a $14 billion organization ($159 million returned to its 3,000 member-owners) with 9,000 employees working in all fifty states and fifty countries.
PDF of K. Mellott-Foshier article