Humboldt Creamery Ice Cream Expands in Pacific Northwest

The company says sustainable environmental practices are the way farmers there have been doing business for generations.

(FORTUNA, Calif.) - Pacific Northwest ice cream lovers and environmentalists both have reason to celebrate today as Humboldt Creamery all-organic ice cream pints go on sale in more than 100 Safeway stores throughout Oregon and southern Washington.

Safeway’s acceptance of the Humboldt Creamery organic ice cream pints is a major expansion for the Northern California company, whose environmental practices are being recognized by more and more consumers.

“People like the way we do things here,” explained Rich Ghilarducci, President and CEO of Humboldt Creamery. “Our co-op members really do take care of the land and their animals. And people really like the taste of our ice cream.”

All Humboldt Creamery cows are pasture grazed. None of the dairy farmers use rBST, and the company was the second dairy in the nation and only co-op to be free-farmed certified by the American Human Association.

Humboldt Creamery is the oldest active dairy co-op in California, formed originally in 1929.

Ghilarducci said the company’s sustainable environmental practices are the way farmers there have been doing business for generations.

“Many of our members are descendents of the co-ops founders, and they farm the way their grandparents did,” he said. “For example, every one of our members pasture grazes their herd. We’ve got the climate here to do it – cool sea breezes and enough rain to grow lush green grass – so of course we pasture graze.”

A few years ago, the Creamery recognized that consumers were looking for food products made in an environmentally conscious fashion and decided to launch the Humboldt Creamery brand to satisfy the demand.

But first it invested in state-of-the-art production facilities to ensure that its ice cream was as good with apple pie as it is for Mother Earth.

“We’ve got a fully automated chiller that quick-hardens every pint as soon as it’s packaged,” explained National Sales and Marketing Manager Jeff Sussman. “It ensures that every pint has the same smooth, consistent texture.”

The Creamery also buys the best 100 percent organic ingredients from exotic places around the world – like Madagascar, Tahiti and Oregon.

“We test all of our ingredients in our own on-site lab to ensure quality and consistency,” Sussman said.

Safeway is carrying six super premium all-organic flavors now: Vanilla, Chocolate, Strawberry, Butter Pecan, Mint Chip and Espresso Chip. Coming in June are Vanilla Brownie Fudge and Vanilla Peanut Butter Cup.