Kemps (company)

Kemps was founded in 1914 by William Henry Kemps (October 29, 1878 – October 2, 1964), formerly of St. Louis, Missouri, who partnered with W.S. Lathrop after his Minneapolis candy company was near bankruptcy. The business was first known as Lathrop-Kemps Ice Cream Company, producing "special quality" Kemps Ice Cream. As part of the agreement, Lathrop would have to maintain his sobriety as he had issues with alcoholism. This didn't happen, and Kemps would soon become sole owner of the company.[3]

Kemps suffered from chronic health problems during his life. In 1921, the doctor advised that he may not be able to survive too many more winters in Minnesota. Kemps and his family visited California later that year. They would eventually purchase a home in Beverly Hills and move there in 1924. At the same time, Kemps sold his company to competitor Crescent Creamery of St. Paul. Brothers Arthur, Howard and W.R. Cammack, who owned Crescent Creamery, would operate both businesses as Kemps-Crescent.[3]

In 1961, Kemps-Crescent would merge with Marigold Dairies of Rochester, Minnesota, and Dolly Madison Dairies of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, to form Marigold Foods, Inc.[3][4] The company would merge with Ward Food Services of Maplewood, Minnesota, in 1968. Ten years later, Dutch company NV Wessanen Koninklijke Fabrieken (now Royal Wessanen) bought Marigold Foods from Ward Food Services.[5]

National Dairy Holdings purchased Marigold Foods and its subsidiaries from Royal Wessanen in 2001, only to be acquired by HP Hood three years later in a deal that also involved Crowley Foods of Binghamton, New York. Marigold Foods would be renamed Kemps LLC in 2002 as most products provided by the company were of the Kemps brand. In 2011, the company would be sold by HP Hood to Dairy Farmers of America.[3]

Kemps has acquired numerous dairy companies to expand business, including:[5][6]

• Clover Leaf Dairy Company of Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1979.
• Fairmont Foods Company, Inc. of Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 1980. (dairy division only)
• Green's Ice Cream of York, Pennsylvania, in 1992.
• Brown's Velvet Dairy of New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1993. (sold to Suiza Foods in 2000, acquired by Dean Foods in 2001)
• Cedarburg Dairy, Inc. of Cedarburg, Wisconsin, in 1993.
• Hagan Ice Cream of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1996.
• Becker's Dairy of Chicago, Illinois, in 1998.
• Gillette Dairy, Inc. of Norfolk, Nebraska, and Rapid City, South Dakota, in 1999.
• Goodrich Ice Cream of Omaha, Nebraska, in 1999.
• Oak Grove Dairy of Norwood, Minnesota, in 2000.
• Cass-Clay Creamery of Fargo, North Dakota, in 2012.

Cass-Clay Creamery and Goodrich Ice Cream are subsidiaries of Kemps. Green's Ice Cream and Hagan Ice Cream are currently subsidiaries under HP Hood. All other brands were discontinued.

Kemps had started a joint venture with Franklin Foods of Duluth, Minnesota, and Associated Milk Producers, Inc. in 1982, making products under the Arrowhead Dairy brand. Franklin Foods closed the plant in 2013.[7]

• Official website
• Cass-Clay Creamery
• Goodrich Ice Cream