Weigel's Dairy Nominated for Milk Plant of the Year

POWELL, Tenn. -- Weigel's Stores Inc., home of Broadacre Dairy, has been nominated by Dairy Foods Magazine for Milk Plant of the Year. Weigel's is considered a micro-dairy compared to the other nominees, which include The Dannon Co., Swiss Valley Farms and Mars Ice Cream, to name a few.

"This is such a great honor to be nominated alongside milk industry giants, many of which have brand names recognized by millions of consumers," said Bill Weigel, chairman and CEO of Weigel's Stores, a family-owned business operating 60 dairy and convenience stores throughout Knoxville, Tenn., and the surrounding area. "We've been committed to first-rate products since our inception, and our goal is to produce the best and freshest-tasting milk in Knoxville."

Voting ends June 30, and the Milk Plant of the Year winner will be announced Aug. 13.

"We're an 80-year-old dairy that started in 1931 as Weigel Brothers Dairy. We eventually distributed our products to grocery stores and restaurants in Knoxville under the name Broadacre Dairy. As the business expanded, we began selling exclusively to local schools, and then under the Weigel's private label brand through Weigel's Stores," the chief executive noted.

This is not the only honor Weigel's Stores has received recently. In the past year, the company also won the coveted First Place Blue-Ribbon for its chocolate milk in the Tennessee State Fair Fluid Milk Quality Competition, as CSNews Online previously reported. Its chocolate milk was voted the best among all dairies serving the state. Scoring was based on milk flavor, body and texture when tasting.