Got more than milk? Winder family has proud Utah legacy

WEST VALLEY CITY — Winder Farms will celebrate another milestone today, Oct. 11, its 130th birthday.

Over its 13 decades, the local company has established a rich history and legacy. It is also a family business, with a sixth generation now involved.

Besides the dairy business, the Winder family has a lesser-publicized legacy — it has produced 10 elected officials in Utah, as well as one general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The Deseret News has reported on Winder Farms' expansion extensively over the years.

No longer just a milkman, Winder Farms today also provides cheese, yogurt, eggs, fresh-squeezed juices, cookie dough, fresh fruits, vegetables, salads, pasta, bacon and sausage — more than 300 products to customer doorsteps.

According to a Deseret News story by Brice Wallace in 2005, the business began using Winder Farms as its moniker that year.

"What was known in 1889 as the J.R. Winder Creamery also has had more than 30 logos over the years," Wallace noted.

"Along the way, the operations moved from the Poplar Farm, at 2700 S. 300 East, to West Valley City in 1931; milk containers advanced from cans to glass to polycarbonate bottles; deliveries moved from horse-drawn vehicles to trucks; and a partnership was forged between the family and Dolphin II and Peterson Partners in 2004. The product lines have expanded often, too, including the addition of bread to the dairy products in 1958," he continued.

The expanding product line is the result of customer research.

Another Deseret News story in 1996, by Linda Thomson, stated that Winder's switch from horse-drawn milk wagons to trucks came along in 1925.

Also in 1996, Winder milked its own cows from a 1,000-head herd, the largest in Utah.

While the product prices on household deliveries are obviously more than what customers would pay in a store, they receive convenience. They may also actually save money by avoiding going into a grocery store, where they may purchase additional products — since milk and dairy products are located in the rear of a store for that very concept.

The deliveries also have been a boon for older people who would have a tough time getting around at a store, or carrying heavy items.