Name/Title
Roets Home Dairy, Inc.Scope and Content
Historical information on Roets Home Dairy, Inc. for 1976 Bicentennial Celebration in Waupun, WI.
*Facts are typed and was scanned with mistakes, if any, left uncorrected.
ROETS HOME DAIRY, INC.
16 NO. COMMERCIAL STREET
WAUPUN, WISCONSIN 53963
PHONE 324-2811
Roets Home Dairy Inc. at 16 Commercial Street, Waupun, Wis. is a business which purchases milk from near by dairy farms and processes it for wholesale and home delivery in Waupun and the surrounding area.
The business was formerly Freriks Dairy and was purchased by Joseph and Irene Roets in July 1949 from Richard, John and Harvey Freriks, sons of the original owner. The Roots and their sons, Donald and Raymond, came to WAUPUN from the Hartland, Wis. area, where at one time Joe was a partner with Cheater Dempsey in a dairy on the Dempsey farm near Hartland. Milk from this plant was sold in their store in West Allis, Wis.
Freriks Dairy originated in 1914 on the John Freriks Sr. farm on Highway 68 next to the present Reabe Flying Service. Raw milk was bottled by hand and delivered in Waupun. In 1931 Freriks built the plant at 16 Commercial St. and pasteurized milk was sold. The building was about 32 feet by 50 feet. When it was purchased by Roets in 1949, the name as changed to Roets Home Dairy.
At that time, milk in cans was hauled to the dairy by the farmers. Roets installed an automatic can washer and also a homogenizer. This was the first local dairy to have homogenized milk.
In 1951 Roets purchased the dairy business from Glen Mugridge, who had a plant on S. Watertown St. in Waupun. This is the same year that square bottles replaced the round ones and also ½ gallon bottles were first used.
Many changes and additions were made as new methods and products were introduced and new government regulations were made.
In 1952 all plants were rewired to meet regulations for Grade A milk.
An addition to the building was made to include a separate room for receiving raw milk from the farms. Also partitions were out in to have a separate bottle washing room and a bottling and pasteurization room.
In 1954 a bulk truck was bought to pick up milk from the farms. Each farm has a refrigerated bulk tank to hold the milk until it is picked up. A refrigerated holding tank was also installed at the plant. With these methods of refrigeration it was possible to produce a better quality product. A garage for the trucks as added in 1956, making the present size of the building about 43 feet by 108 feet.
In 1960 plans were made for the making of ice cream and additions to the plant were made for the manufacture and freezing of ice cream.
Beginning in June 1966 milk has been purchased from the Wis. State Prison farm and pasteurized and canned for the Wis. State Prison, Central State and Wis. Correctional Institution. It was at this time that the dairy plant at the Prison was discontinued.
A more modern machine was purchased for filling paper cartons. This machine forms, fills, and seals ½ pint, Quart and ½ gallon cartons.
The dairy motto has always been "Quality and Service" and every effort is made to live up to this motto. Products available are as follows: homogenized milk, 2% low fat milk, skim milk, chocolate milk, buttermilk, half and half, whipping cream, sour cream, cottage cheese, butter, orange drink, grapefruit drink, breakfast orange, ice cream, brick cheese and cheddar cheese.
In 1973 the business was incorporated with Joseph, Irene, Donald and Raymond as members.
In 1975 Raymond and Sharer floats purchased the business from the other members of the corporation.Acquisition
Accession
2016.0075Source or Donor
Waupun Area Chamber of CommerceAcquisition Method
Donation
