Darigold

Darigold: A Century-Old Pacific Northwest Dairy Cooperative

Darigold is a farmer-owned dairy cooperative headquartered in Seattle, Washington, and one of the largest regional dairy marketing and processing companies in the United States. It was originally founded in 1918 as the United Dairymen’s Association (UDA) in response to the challenges Pacific Northwest dairy farmers faced in balancing milk supply and demand and achieving fair pricing for their products.

Early History and Formation

The UDA was formed as a collaborative effort by five dairy cooperatives in the Pacific Northwest to collectively market their milk and prevent individual farmers from being disadvantaged by fluctuating market prices. In 1925, as part of a branding initiative during an annual summer picnic, the dairy families were invited to suggest a name for their cooperative’s products. The name “Darigold” was chosen, merging “dairy” and “gold” to symbolize quality and value.

Around the same time, Umberto “Bert” Dickey, a successful food broker, was hired to develop distant markets and registered the Darigold trademark. In 1930, Darigold’s processing and marketing operations were consolidated under a wholly owned subsidiary, extending the brand’s reach across affiliated cooperatives.

Growth and Expansion

During the 20th century, Darigold steadily expanded its processing capabilities and product lines, including butter, cheese, powdered milk, and packaged fluid milk. Mergers with other cooperatives—such as Oregon’s Mayflower Farms and Idaho’s Dairymen’s Creamery Association—significantly increased membership and production capacity.

By the 1990s, Darigold was the largest agricultural cooperative in Washington State, representing about 1,300 dairy farmers producing billions of pounds of milk annually. The cooperative invested in modern processing plants and distribution systems to meet the increasing demand for high-quality dairy products.

Modern Operations and Products

Today, Darigold operates 12 production facilities and 19 sales and distribution branches across the Northwest and beyond, with satellite offices in Mexico and China. Its product portfolio includes milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, sour cream, and powdered milk, marketed under the Darigold brand and several related labels.

The cooperative is committed to sustainable dairy farming practices and in 2006 pledged to produce and sell only milk from cows not treated with rBST (a growth hormone). Darigold emphasizes quality, freshness, and local farmer ownership, supporting hundreds of family farms throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Northern California, and Montana.

Why Choose Darigold?

Darigold exemplifies over 100 years of farmer-owned collaboration dedicated to producing premium dairy products. Its rich history, commitment to sustainability, and scale enable it to offer top-quality milk, butter, and cheese that consumers across the Pacific Northwest and beyond trust and enjoy. Darigold remains a symbol of local pride and cooperative success supporting regional agriculture.