Business
Delivering for consumers and cooperative members through innovation
As we celebrate National Dairy Month this June, Land O’Lakes is highlighting our legacy of innovation that has helped define the dairy category
For more than a century, dairy has been at the heart of the American table — and a cornerstone for the Land O’Lakes cooperative model. From the beginning, our farmer‑owned cooperative has focused not only on producing high‑quality dairy foods from our members’ milk, but also on continuously reimagining how dairy shows up in consumers’ everyday lives.
As we celebrate National Dairy Month this June, Land O’Lakes is highlighting our legacy of innovation that has helped define the dairy category and how that same mindset is guiding what comes next.
Responding to consumer needs, Land O’Lakes has continuously introduced solutions designed to make daily dairy moments easier, tastier and more satisfying, from tub butter products that spread straight from the refrigerator to new cheese formats that fit better into how families cook and eat today. These offerings not only fulfill shopper needs but have often become category benchmarks, setting expectations that competitors later follow.
“We have a strong track record of innovating in flavors and formats that resonate, like with products such as half-stick butter or butter balls,” says Angela Pengelly, vice president of Dairy Foods Marketing. “By building on what we do well and applying it to emerging areas like snacking, we’re expanding our focus and driving growth.”
As we celebrate National Dairy Month this June, Land O’Lakes is highlighting our legacy of innovation that has helped define the dairy category and how that same mindset is guiding what comes next.
A legacy of innovation
In 1921, representatives from 320 Minnesota cooperative creameries came together to help combat rising costs and inconsistent quality of butter by forming the Minnesota Cooperative Creameries Association, which would later rebrand to Land O’Lakes, Inc. This bold approach to filling a need in the marketplace would serve as a guidepost for the company’s next 100+ years, encouraging innovative thinking in developing new products and formats.Responding to consumer needs, Land O’Lakes has continuously introduced solutions designed to make daily dairy moments easier, tastier and more satisfying, from tub butter products that spread straight from the refrigerator to new cheese formats that fit better into how families cook and eat today. These offerings not only fulfill shopper needs but have often become category benchmarks, setting expectations that competitors later follow.
“We have a strong track record of innovating in flavors and formats that resonate, like with products such as half-stick butter or butter balls,” says Angela Pengelly, vice president of Dairy Foods Marketing. “By building on what we do well and applying it to emerging areas like snacking, we’re expanding our focus and driving growth.”
Land O Lakes® Salted Butter in Half Sticks are individually wrapped to keep the butter tasting fresher longer.
Innovation with intention
Land O’Lakes’ innovation process begins by bringing together a wide array of expertise from across the business to assess current consumer needs or marketplace gaps and brainstorm potential solutions, which are then filtered through a rigorous system that tests consumer demand, technical feasibility and commercial value before advancing. Recent updates to this process have reduced barriers and created further opportunities for collaboration, expanding the number of ideas that are generated and, ultimately, the number of innovations that make it to the marketplace.Rather than chasing every emerging fad, Land O’Lakes focuses on a clearly defined growth consumer target to guide innovation: someone who values quality, believes in the cooperative model and is willing to invest in brands that align with their values. Additionally, this process must also support the cooperative’s member‑owners. That includes thoughtful consideration of how products use member milk and create value across the dairy category — a perspective that distinguishes Land O’Lakes from many traditional food companies.
A butter spread packed with the bold flavors of garlic and herbs, and spreadable right out of the refrigerator, Land O Lakes® Garlic & Herb Butter Spread is a secret weapon in the kitchen.
These focus areas help explain why the company’s innovation pipeline centers on dairy’s natural strengths: products that deliver protein and satiety; clean labels and familiar ingredients; and formats that support snacking, convenience, and versatility without losing sight of dairy’s nutritional foundation.
Dairy, especially right now, is well positioned to meet consumer needs, and innovation at Land O’Lakes is about unlocking that opportunity in a thoughtful way. Of particular focus is continuing to build up products perfect for snacking and enjoying dairy on-the-go, especially through new Dairy Case Cheese offerings.
Looking to the future, innovation will continue to be guided by consumer insight and our cooperative purpose. Not every idea will make it to market, and that’s by design. But the ideas that do will reflect the values that have defined Land O’Lakes for generations: quality, relevance, and a belief in delivering satisfying results for both our member-owners and consumers.
This story is part one in a special series highlighting dairy innovation at Land O’Lakes in recognition of National Dairy Month. Stay tuned for additional stories over the next few weeks.
Dairy, especially right now, is well positioned to meet consumer needs, and innovation at Land O’Lakes is about unlocking that opportunity in a thoughtful way. Of particular focus is continuing to build up products perfect for snacking and enjoying dairy on-the-go, especially through new Dairy Case Cheese offerings.
Looking to the future, innovation will continue to be guided by consumer insight and our cooperative purpose. Not every idea will make it to market, and that’s by design. But the ideas that do will reflect the values that have defined Land O’Lakes for generations: quality, relevance, and a belief in delivering satisfying results for both our member-owners and consumers.
This story is part one in a special series highlighting dairy innovation at Land O’Lakes in recognition of National Dairy Month. Stay tuned for additional stories over the next few weeks.
