Organic excellence - Organic Cow's new milk processing equipment

Dairy Foods,  Oct, 1997  

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New milk processing equipment improves operation, increases output

The Organic Cow, Tunbridge, Vt., began producing its organic products in 1990. Initially it had plenty of production capacity, but as the business grew, it became obvious that the company needed to add equipment.

The Organic Cow produces a full line of certified organic homogenized fluid products in gabletop packages. These include whole, 2%, 1%, skim and chocolate milk as well as egg nog, half-and-half and heavy cream. And unlike almost all other dairy processors, the company produces some of these products in not-homogenized versions.

"Some people believe that milk that has not been homogenized is better for you because the human body is not able to absorb the fat as readily as from homogenized milk," says Bunny Flint, V.P.-sales and marketing. "A good percentage of our total sales consists of not-homogenized products."

In November 1996, The Organic Cow installed a complete new high-temperature short-time (HTST) milk processing system from Bruns Brothers Inc. featuring G&H Products. Rated at 20 gal of milk per minute, the system included new GHPD positive displacement pump, GHH/GHC centrifugal pumps, SRC air valves, complete sanitary tubing and fittings and a Tetra Laval plate heat exchanger.

Because The Organic Cow runs milk at 20 gal per minute but cream at only 10 to 15 gpm, the positive displacement pump is equipped with an adjustable frequency drive to change the flow rate through the HTST.

The company also installed a used homogenizer as part of the system, a power generator because of frequent power outages and an ice builder to produce cooling water for the HTST.

"The system is extremely efficient," says V.P.-Manufacturing Peter Flint (and Bunny's husband). "I bought a new ice builder because I thought we would need it to produce chilled water to cool the product, but it's much bigger than I need. In winter, I don't need it at all."

Ken Bruns, partner in Bruns Brothers, Gray, Maine, agrees. "The HTST is 93% efficient. The unit cools the milk to 33 [degrees] F."

Bruns Brothers was an essential part of the project.

"We've worked with Bruns for years and rely on their advice and help," says Peter Flint. "They designed the system, recommended and installed the equipment, and trained our operators. They were here through the entire project and didn't leave until we had product in the filler."

Organic is more than natural

"Our organic operation is more than just producing natural products," says Bunny Flint. "To be Certified Organic means that there are no chemicals of any kind used. Cows must have no herbicides, fertilizers, pesticides or other chemicals on their feeds or pastures, and their health is maintained homeopathically with no synthetic hormones and without anatibiotics in their milk."

"Our farm grows its own organic hay and uses rotational pasture management practices, so the cows change pastures twice daily. This practice offers better nourishment for the land and controls parasites."

The Flints also attribute the quality of their products to the fact that most of their milk comes from colored breeds of cows including Jerseys, Ayrshires, Brown Swiss and Guernseys. The Flints have Jerseys on their own farm and they purchase milk from more than 60 other regional Certified Organic farmers.

The Organic Cow produces more than 6,000 cases of product per week with a code date shelf life of 15 to 17 days. The company distributes products in its own semi-trailers to the entire East Coast from Florida to Maine and as far west as Ohio via numerous distribution channels. Sales are about evenly split between regular retail outlets and health food stores.

"This is an exciting time," says Bunny Flint. "Our market is growing by leaps and bounds, and the new system from G&H lets us keep up with demand."

COPYRIGHT 1997 Business News Publishing Co.
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