Harris Teeter plans to sell NC dairy processing plant that it has owned for decades

Harris Teeter is moooving away from the dairy business and plans to sell its North Carolina dairy processing plant that it has owned for decades.

The Matthews-based grocery chain said it expects to close Aug. 30 on the sale of Hunter Farms dairy processing plant in High Point to Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association, according to a Harris Teeter news release Tuesday.

Hunter Farms has been Harris Teeter grocer’s sole dairy resource, and supplies dairy products to other retail and restaurant chains across the Southeast, Harris Teeter spokeswoman Danna Robinson said in a statement.

Harris Teeter would not disclose the purchase price or terms of the deal, Robinson told the Observer.

However, nearly 160 full-time workers will be offered comparable positions under the new owner, she said.

In addition to milk, Hunter Farms produces frozen dairy treats, juices, culture products and ice creams that will continue to be sold at Harris Teeter stores, Robinson said.

When asked why the company was selling the plant, Robinson provided few details. She said Harris Teeter constantly evaluates its investments and “it’s important that we look at all options for the future of the business to ensure it is meeting its full potential.”

The co-op, founded in 1920, is a community of more than 900 dairy farmers in 13 states bottling Maola brand milk and dairy products.

The co-op has processing facilities in Newport News and Strasburg, Virginia, and Laurel and Landover, Maryland, producing 3 billion pounds of milk a year for consumers and manufacturers worldwide.

Adding Hunter Farms as its fifth processing plant helps expand the cooperative’s Southeast footprint, said Jay Bryant, CEO of Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative.

More about Harris Teeter’s plant

Hunter Farms production facility started in 1917 delivering raw milk from a small dairy herd to procuring milk from 200 dairy farmers across the Southeast and $100 million in sales annually, according to the company website.

Harris Teeter purchased Hunter Dairy in 1980 and a decade later, acquired the Borden Dairy Plant in High Point. The two were consolidated in 2002, according to Hunter Farm’s website.

Hunter Farms produced 2.3 million gallons of milk per year for Harris Teeter and other grocery stores, as well as buttermilk for Hardee’s and frosty mix for Wendy’s stores in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Tennessee.

Harris Teeter, a subsidiary of The Kroger Co., has about 35,000 employees in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, Delaware, Florida and the District of Columbia.

This story was originally published August 17, 2021 at 3:12 PM with the headline "Harris Teeter plans to sell NC dairy processing plant that it has owned for decades."