Quality Dairy Company

Quality Dairy Company is a family-owned, dairy, bakery, and retail / convenience store chain in the Lansing, Michigan metro area.[2] The first Quality Dairy Store was opened in 1936 and as of 2020 there are 29 Mid-Michigan area retail locations.[3][4][5] Quality Dairy Company's headquarters is located near REO Town in Lansing[6] and operates its Dairy Plant, Bakery Plant, and Injection Plastic Molding Plant from central Lansing as well.[7]

Quality Dairy Company
TypePrivate
IndustryRetail (convenience stores)
Founded1936 (1936)
FoundersGregory J. Martin and Harvey Mack
Headquarters
Lansing, Michigan, United States
Number of locations
29[1]
ProductsDairy, baked goods, prepared foods, various assortment of beverages, gasoline, plastic molds
WebsiteQuality Dairy

Quality Dairy has been one of Mid-Michigan's largest employers[8][9] for over 50 years and produces over 150 different products in its Lansing area facilities.[10][11][12][13]

The chain caters primarily to neighborhood clientele, many of whom do not have the benefit of personal transportation. Quality Dairy draws customers with "loss leader" prices on staples such as milk, eggs and bread, but makes its profits from sales of alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, snack foods and beverages, lottery tickets, and other convenience items sold at premium prices.

History

Quality Dairy Company was founded in March 1936 by Gregory J. Martin and Harvey Mack.[14] The first store was located at 1406 South Washington Avenue. At the time, milk was most commonly obtained by home delivery. The original company mission included providing bottled milk on a cash and carry basis from small neighborhood milk stores. The price of milk at the time was seven cents a quart.

In 1940, Quality Dairy Company started producing, distributing, and selling ice cream. Quality Dairy stores also began to sell candy and gum around the same time. Since then, the stores have greatly expanded the offering of grocery items, adding cereals, soups, canned vegetables and fruits,[15] snacks and more, along with a selection of meat, cheese and frozen food items not typically found outside the major grocery stores. Dipped ice cream was added in 1969.

In 1955, Quality Dairy Company’s ownership changed. Harvey Mack sold out to Mr. Martin who brought in 3 additional family owners shortly thereafter.[16]

Currently Quality Dairy Company operates 31 stores throughout Greater Lansing.[17] All but two locations sell beer and wine and sixteen locations sell packaged liquor. Eight locations offer gasoline and six stores have Laundromats.

In addition to retail stores, Quality Dairy Company operates several production and distribution facilities including the Dairy Plant, Bakery, Commissary and Grocery Distribution Center. QDC Plastic Container, a division of Quality Dairy Company, is a plastics blow molding facility which services the drink industry.

In 2017, the Holt location was temporarily closed because of an electrical fire. The store was renovated with a streamlined design and drive-thru window, patio, walk-up window, and arctic beer cave among other new features. The store re-opened in August 2019.[18]

Retail Locations

There are 28 retail locations in the Greater Lansing area:

Front entrance of Whitehills location.
  • 400 S. Pennsylvania[19]
  • 2100 N. Larch
  • 1412 W. Mt. Hope
  • 700 N. Pine
  • 720 W. Jolly
  • 917 E. Cavanaugh
Quality Dairy sign outside of Holt, Michigan location.
  • 645 Waverly (At St. Joe.)
  • 2121 W. Holmes Rd.
  • 4500 W. Saginaw
  • 5930 Marsh Rd. (Haslett)
  • 5100 S. Waverly
  • 6099 S. M.L.K. Blvd. & Miller
Interior of renovated Holt, Michigan location.
  • 2233 S. Cedar (Holt)
  • 7120 Lansing Rd. (Dimondale)
  • 500 E. Saginaw
  • 808 E. Michigan (Harrison)
  • 2600 S. Cedar & Greenlawn
  • 118 S. Main St. (Eaton Rapids)
  • 6400 W. St. Joe & Creyts
  • 2400 E. Michigan & Foster[20]
  • 804 W. Willow (Grand Ledge)
  • 3332 Lake Lansing (Whitehills)
  • 5010 Dunckel (At Jolly)
  • 173 W. Maple (Mason)
  • 1699 W. Grand River & Dobie [21]
  • 680 Lansing Road (Charlotte)
  • 8512 W. Saginaw (Delta)
  • 10950 E. Second (Fowler)

All 28 stores have Michigan State University Federal Credit Union ATMs.[22]

Dairy Plant
Quality Dairy Plant

When Quality Dairy Company was founded in 1936 there were a large number of dairies in Ingham County. Today Quality Dairy distributes milk from local dairy farms to its 28 stores daily. They also produce flavored milks, juices, fruit drinks, chip dip and more, all of which are distributed from their central hub - Quality Dairy Central - Located just south of Lansing's REO Town.

They also offer their own Premium Ice Creams in a variety of flavors.[23]

Quality Dairy Bakery

Quality Dairy Bakery Plant

The Quality Dairy Bakery started in 1970 in the back room of one of the stores. Not long after, the Bakery outgrew that space and moved to a new larger location. Today, the Bakery is housed in a 37,000 sq. ft. facility in Lansing. The Quality Dairy Commissary operates in the same facility.[24]

The Bakery produces over 40 varieties of donuts,[25][26] including classic cake donuts and yeast-raised varieties.[27][28] It also offer cookies, muffins, pastries, and other baked goods.[29][30][31][32]

Customers can also order Bakery products online and have them delivered to any retail store.[33]

Quality Dairy Commissary
Quality Dairy Commissary

The Quality Dairy Commissary was founded in the mid-1970s. It is currently operating in the same modern 37,000 sq. ft. facility as the Bakery.

The Commissary provides a wide variety of food items to the stores five days a week. It produces over three dozen varieties of sandwiches as well as wraps and salads. The Commissary also supplies the stores with a selection of fresh produce.

Injection Blow Mold Plant
QDC Plastic Blow Molding Plant

QDC Plastic Container Company is the injection plastic molding division of Quality Dairy Company.

References
  1. "Greater Lansing's Neighborhood Food Store". Retrieved 2020-02-28.
  2. "Lansing-based Quality Dairy rolls out new customer rewards program". MLive.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  3. "Greater Lansing's Neighborhood Food Store". Retrieved 2020-02-28.
  4. Jason Harder (2010-10-30), 1985 Quality Dairy store commercial from Lansing Michigan., retrieved 2016-02-17
  5. Jason Harder (2011-06-18), 1984 Quality Dairy holiday Egg Nog commercial from Lansing, Michigan., retrieved 2016-02-17
  6. "Quality Dairy Co". MLive.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  7. "I want to eat that !". Pinterest. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  8. "Lansing, Michigan Largest Employers | LEAP". www.purelansing.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  9. "Major Employers | East Lansing, MI - Official Website". www.cityofeastlansing.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  10. "Celebrating Fall in Mid-Michigan". Awesome Mitten. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  11. "Paczki Day: Heavy on calories, heavy on sales". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  12. "Lansing Quality Dairy Introduces Customer Rewards Program - A Mitten Full of Savings". A Mitten Full of Savings. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  13. "Hillsdale County- Pleasant View Dairy, Jonesville, Mich | Breakfast on the Farm". www.breakfastonthefarm.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  14. "Quality Dairy Co". MLive.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  15. "Delivering on quality promise". www.newfarm.org. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  16. "Believe in Magic : People.com". www.people.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  17. "State bars municipalities from enacting tobacco laws". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  18. Lacy, Eric. "New drive-thru Quality Dairy Holt store with patio, beer cave, pizza and CBD ready to open". Lansing State Journal. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  19. "Quality Dairy - Pennsylvania & Kalamazoo". Mid-Michigan Dining. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  20. "Quality Dairy - Michigan Avenue". Mid-Michigan Dining. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  21. "Quality Dairy - Okemos, MI". Yelp. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  22. "MSU Federal Credit Union | ATMs | MSUFCU ATMs". MSU Federal Credit Union. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  23. "Best Ice Cream Shops in Michigan | PBS Food". PBS Food. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  24. "Michigan's Best Doughnut voting starts today; 6 Lansing area shops nominated". MLive.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  25. "Oh donuts, how I love thee - Review of Quality Dairy, East Lansing, MI - TripAdvisor". www.tripadvisor.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  26. "What? We missed "National Donut Day"". forums.macresource.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  27. "These 15 Bakeries Serve The Best Paczki In Michigan". OnlyInYourState. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  28. Eats, Serious. "Gallery: The Serious Eats National Doughnut Honor Roll: Serious Eats". sweets.seriouseats.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  29. Malkowski, Amanda. "Mid-Michigan Celebrates Fat Tuesday with Paczki Tradition". www.wilx.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  30. Amy. "Quality Dairy - E. Jolly Rd". Mid-Michigan Dining. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  31. Eats, Serious. "Gallery: The Serious Eats National Doughnut Honor Roll: Serious Eats". sweets.seriouseats.com. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
  32. FOX 47 News (2013-02-12), Quality Dairy Prepares Thousands of Paczki, retrieved 2016-02-17
  33. "Whole Wheat Pumpkin Donuts [with chocolate glaze]". Fit Mitten Kitchen. Retrieved 2016-02-17.
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