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Allergens
All our products are manufactured on shared equipment with egg. We have allergen controls in place which include mandatory equipment cleaning to prevent cross-contamination as required by the FDA and SFC Food Safety Systems. To ensure that our ingredients are free of allergen contamination, we have implemented and maintained a Supplier Approval Program, which ensures that all our ingredient suppliers have validated allergen control programs.
Our organic dairy products, including all flavors of yogurt, ice cream, types of sour cream, butter, and milk are gluten free. Equipment used in our facility is not shared with any products that contain gluten. While Straus Family Creamery’s facility is not certified gluten-free, our ingredients are sourced from gluten-free suppliers. To ensure that our ingredients are free of allergen contamination, we have implemented and maintained a Supplier Approval Program, which ensures that all our ingredient suppliers have validated allergen control programs.
Our facility is peanut-free and nut-free. While coconut oil is in the chocolatey chips of our Vanilla and Mint Chip ice cream, the FDA does not classify coconut as a nut. We have allergen controls in place which include mandatory equipment cleaning to prevent cross-contamination as required by the FDA and SFC Food Safety Systems. To ensure that our ingredients are free of allergen contamination, we have implemented and maintained a Supplier Approval Program, which ensures that all our ingredient suppliers have validated allergen control programs.
Our organic dairy products contain no stabilizers or thickeners. The single exception is our soft serve mixes, in which we use organic plant-based stabilizers.
The absence of stabilizers and thickeners means textures may vary, or you may notice separation in our products. The texture of our yogurt is purely defined by the culturing process. We allow for a variance in texture within our specifications range, so some batches may be somewhat thinner or thicker than others. Each batch of yogurt is tested for its viscosity level; if the level is within our specifications, the yogurt is approved for sale.
With no emulsifiers or stabilizers such as carrageenan or gums, the chocolate milk has natural separation. This requires an extra shake or two of the bottle to blend the ingredients before drinking.
Straus Family Creamery’s production plant is corn-free. Our production is not soy-free because there is soy lecithin in the chocolate chips used in our organic Vanilla and Mint Chip ice cream. We have allergen controls in place which include mandatory equipment cleaning to prevent cross-contamination as required by the FDA and SFC Food Safety Systems. To ensure that our ingredients are free of allergen contamination, we have implemented and maintained a Supplier Approval Program, which ensures that all our ingredient suppliers have validated allergen control programs.
Our dairy products are certified kosher by Kosher Supervision of America (KSA). Each ingredient used in our products is kosher and free of meat derivatives. The Creamery is audited quarterly, and our certification is renewed annually.
We do not offer vegan products.
Our organic chocolate milk is lactose free. Our chocolate milk has only five ingredients: homogenized organic whole milk, organic cane sugar, organic Fair Trade Certified™ cocoa powder, organic vanilla extract, and a lactase enzyme. The lactase enzyme naturally boosts sweetness without increasing the total amount of sugar and creates lactose-free milk.
Animal Welfare
Straus Family Creamery sources our organic milk from local USDA-certified organic family farms in Northern California’s Marin and Sonoma Counties.
Our farms and products are regulated under the National Organic Program and audited and certified by an independent third party. USDA Organic standards require lifelong organic animal management, year-round access to outdoors, a 100% organic feed diet, animal care without antibiotics or growth hormones, preventative health care treatments, and a minimum of 120-day pasture grazing requirement. We require our supplying farms to abide by this program and submit an annual Organic Systems Plan to that includes animal welfare.
The USDA Organic program’s animal welfare and husbandry guidelines represent one of the best animal welfare frameworks; therefore, we do not require our supplying dairies to obtain animal welfare certifications. In 2023, the organic livestock welfare rules were significantly strengthened to support animal health by banning specific physical alterations of animals, improving calf management practices, and requiring protective transportation techniques.
USDA Organic standards ensure the humane treatment of animals, prohibiting the use of antibiotics, growth hormones, and Genetically Modified feeds. Our farms follow the USDA’s National Organic Program, which includes preventive vaccinations. We confirm that vaccines do not contain mercury.
The humane treatment of animals is a fundamental principle of organic production. Livestock health-care practices and healthy living conditions are embedded in the National Organic Program regulations. We require that our independent supplying farms abide by the Organic Standards set forth by the USDA National Organic Standards Program. Additionally, every independent certified organic dairy farm supplier submits an annual Organic Systems Plan in which animal-welfare regulations are addressed. At Straus Family Creamery, organic integrity is very important to us. We are committed to producing the highest quality dairy products, while helping family farms and our communities through our practices.
The cows spend time out on pasture year round grazing whenever the weather permits. They graze on the rich, sweet grasses that are typical for Marin and Sonoma Counties. In the North Bay Coast region of California, with long wet and dry seasons, the cows eat a diet of 50 to 80% forages, which include fresh grasses, silage, and hay, depending on the time of year and pasture growth. The other 20 to 50% consists of a variety of certified organic, Non-GMO grains.
Milking cows need a balanced diet, full of nutrients. We work closely with a dairy nutritionist, who has served on the National Organic Standards Board, to create a balanced diet for the cows to maintain their health and milk production.
All of the farmers providing milk to the Creamery follow the National Organic Program's Pasture Rule – grazing and pasture management standards as defined by USDA Organic Label requirements. Animals must graze at least 120 days per year and obtain at least 30% dry matter intake by grazing.
We believe giving cows access to grazing on grass contributes to good animal welfare and reduces the environmental impact on the land. A planned rotational grazing of the cows helps mitigate climate change by supporting carbon sequestration
Organic milk supplied to Straus Family Creamery comes from several breeds of cows, including Jersey, Holstein, and Jersey-Holstein cross breeds. Milk from each farm is blended and used in all products. We do not currently test for or plan to test for A1 or A2 proteins in the cows’ milk supplied to us by the certified organic dairy farms with whom we partner. That said, our research and development team continue to monitor ongoing scientific research on the potential benefits of A1 and A2 proteins.
Donations
We are happy to consider any donation request. Straus Family Creamery gives preference to organizations and events that are directly tied to our mission.
There are two types of donation requests: monetary and in-kind product donations. For monetary sponsorships and donations, we focus on mission-aligned organizations. For in-kind product donations, we focus more on local community, mission-aligned and civic organizations, and local schools.
Straus Family Creamery strives to support our local community, but we are unable to fulfill every single request. We thank you in advance for understanding. Note, any donation requests need at least 30 days’ notice.
Please complete the Donation Request Form here.
Jobs
Please visit our current job listings on our careers' page.
Organic Farming
In 2005, Albert Straus started testing certified organic feeds for the cows. He found contamination from GMOs in some purchased feeds. To ensure that all Straus Family Creamery milk and dairy products remained 100% organic, Albert implemented a non-GMO testing and verification system of all animal feed purchased by the certified organic family farmers who supply milk.
Straus Family Creamery receives certified verification for every single ingredient that goes into each of our products, whether it’s vanilla or live, active cultures for our organic yogurt; chocolate for our organic ice cream; or enzymes for culturing our organic sour cream.
When the Non-GMO Project emerged in 2010, the Creamery took it to the next level, becoming the first Non-GMO Project Verified Creamery in the United States.
At Straus Family Creamery, organic farming is a philosophy, not a marketing slogan. Our belief in organic farming is deeply rooted in our commitment to land stewardship that preserves the environment for future generations. This means that we treat our organic dairy cows according to federal organic standards. We strictly follow these standards and are committed to making delicious organic dairy products with minimal processing.
Organic integrity is very important to us. The USDA Organic Seal verifies products meeting organic standards, which is authenticated by an independent third party. In a food industry that is overflowing with single label claims without regulated third-party certification, we consider the USDA Organic Seal to be the gold standard.
To learn more about USDA Organic practices, review the USDA's Organic Practices Fact Sheet.
Every one of the certified organic dairies that provide milk to the Creamery complies with USDA organic standards. These standards prohibit the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in our products and forbid the use of genetically modified crops grown or purchased to feed cows. At Straus Family Creamery, we believe that GMOs pose a threat to the land and to family farms and that GMOs have no place in farming or in our food system. The use of GMOs causes farmers to use more pesticides and fertilizers, which negatively impacts the environment.
The methane digester on the Straus Organic Dairy Farm captures methane in the digested manure from approximately 280 cows. Almost 2,750 gallons of cow manure is collected from the barns daily. The digester then converts the manure to renewable energy and nutrient-rich compost.
Approximately 8 million standard cubic feet of biogas is captured from the digester annually, reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions by more than 700 metric tons of CO2e.
The biogas is converted into renewable electricity, powering the entire 500-acre Straus Organic Dairy Farm. The amount produced annually is equivalent to removing 347 passenger vehicles from the roadways.*
*https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
Organic Milk
You can freeze our milk in plastic jugs. However, milk will separate when frozen and will not recombine when thawed back into a liquid state. Freezing is not an acceptable mode to extend the shelf life of fluid milk. Milk expands when frozen, so remove some from the plastic jug to allow for expansion. Do not freeze milk in our glass bottles, as they may crack.
As milk settles, the cream layer forms in the neck of the glass bottle. This is normal. Some people remove this cream entirely with a spoon and use it in their coffee, spread on a piece of bread, or for cooking. If you’d prefer that the cream redistribute before using, push the cream layer back into the milk and shake the bottle — just make sure you keep your hand firmly over the lid!
Yes, Straus Family Creamery’s organic milk is crafted with a high temperature short time (HTST) pasteurization method to the Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance of at least 161°F for 15 seconds. This method preserves the authentic flavor and nutrition while eliminating harmful bacteria. Most milks are ultra-pasteurized to increase shelf life, which involves “cooking” the milk at a high temperature (at or above 280°F for at least two seconds); this can create “off” notes in the milk’s flavor. To preserve the integrity of our pasture-raised milk, Straus does not use this method.
We do not fortify our milk with Vitamin D. Minimal processing is a defining characteristic of our core products.
To replace the Vitamin A removed when fat is separated from whole milk, federal law requires Vitamin A to be added to milk that is lower in fat than whole milk — namely, nonfat, lowfat (1%), and reduced fat (2%) milks. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin and dissolves in milk. Vitamin A is added only to our nonfat, lowfat and reduced fat milks, not to our whole milk.
We do not homogenize our milk, leaving the milk as close as possible to its natural state and allowing the cream to rise to the top. You will notice the cream-top in our glass-bottled milk. The only exceptions are our organic half & half, chocolate milk, Barista® Milk, and eggnog products, which are homogenized.
A cow produces whole milk with two components: nonfat milk and cream. Homogenization is an emulsification process that distributes fat throughout milk. Non-homogenized milk has cream that naturally rises to the top and forms a “plug” in the neck of a glass bottle or milk jug. The cream-top layer can take several days to form.
One of Straus Family Creamery's founding principles is minimal processing. All products are pasteurized, and our cream-top milk sold in stores is not homogenized, leaving it as close as possible to its natural state.
Products
Straus Family Creamery is committed to organic practices that protect the environment and people. The Organic Non-Hydrogenated Palm Oil in our Organic Cookies & Cream Ice Cream is certified as Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). You can read more about RSPO’s principles on its website.
The nutritional facts and ingredients are posted on each product page. Find the product pages via our organic dairy products overview page here.
We sell organic dairy products, including milk, cream, yogurt, butter, sour cream, ice cream, kefir, and a variety of wholesale products. Please refer to our complete product list to see the products available for retail purchase.
The sell-by date is stamped on all of our products. For perishable products, it indicates the recommended date a grocer should sell them. We do not recommend consuming dairy products after the sell-by date.
Straus Family Creamery products are predominately sold in stores west of the Rocky Mountains, but our products are sold in a handful of stores in the South, Midwest, and East. Please use the Store Locator on the top right side of the home page and the bottom pages of the website.
To find our products near you, please visit our store locator. Our milk in glass bottles is only available in the Western U.S. to ensure freshness and support our reusable glass bottle program.
We are expanding our Yogurt and Ice Cream products nationwide. If you can’t find a specific product at your local store, ask them to contact us through our Wholesale Inquiry form. You can also suggest a location through our Consumer Support form.
We do not sell any of our organic products directly on our website, but many of our retailer partners offer online ordering for delivery and pickup through services like Instacart and Amazon Fresh. Visit our dairy home delivery section to find more companies that sell our products online.
Many restaurants and artisan food producers seeking the highest quality dairy products buy Straus products. Several places feature Straus organic dairy products on their menus — Chez Panisse, French Laundry, Meadowood Resort, Google, Miette Bakery, The Slanted Door, Bi-Rite Creamery, Roam Artisan Burgers, and Boba Guys, to name a few. Visit our Restaurants and Cafés page to read about our featured customers.
Thank you for your interest in selling our products! Please start by filling out our Wholesale Inquiry Form on our Contact Us page and we will be able to connect you with a member of our sales team.
Our foodservice items are not available at retail. If you are a business interested in using or serving these items, please click here.
Please click here and fill out the Wholesale Inquiry form and we will be able to connect you with a member of our sales team.
RESILIENT Packaging
From day one in 1994, we have bottled our milk in reusable glass that requires a refundable deposit. The deposit is $3.00 on all milk and cream products bottled in glass. The deposit is refunded when the rinsed bottle is returned to a store that sells Straus Organic Milk and Cream. Our customers return and reuse more than 2.75 million bottles annually, helping contribute to a circular economy and zero-waste future.
We do not sell our glass bottles, but the manufacturer, Stanpac, sells blank bottles online. Just click “Shop Online” to access their General Store.
Please rinse the bottles and return them to your local store. You’ll get a $ 3.00 deposit refunded when the bottle is returned. The bottles are then returned to the Creamery, washed, sanitized, and reused an average of five times before re-entering the recycling stream. The bottles themselves are made with up to 30% recycled glass. We are very pleased to see a return rate of 70% on our bottles.
Plastic Milk Bottles
Our plastic milk bottles and caps are made from #2 plastic. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, #2 plastic milk bottles have the highest plastic recycling rate in the United States. Please screw the cap back onto the rinsed empty plastic bottle before replacing it in a recycle bin.
Caps
Our glass bottle milk caps are too small to be recycled in most cities, as recycling centers lack the infrastructure to process them. Please replace the cap on your empty bottle before returning it for your deposit. We're actively working to improve the sustainability of our caps, exploring options for better recyclability and even compostable alternatives.
Yogurt & Sour Cream Cups and Lids
The yogurt and sour cream cups and lids are made out of #5 plastic and are recyclable. Curbside recycling programs increasingly accept #5 plastic cups, but we recommend contacting your local recycling center to confirm their specific requirements. A few years ago, we redesigned our cups, reducing plastic use by 15% and eliminating 45,000 pounds of plastic annually. We're committed to transitioning away from petroleum-based plastic containers in the future, while maintaining product quality and recyclability.
Click here to learn about our packaging roadmap.
Tours
We do not host farm tours at the Straus Dairy Farm, the supplying family farms, or the Creamery. However, you can learn more about cheese tours at California Cheese Trail. If interested in volunteering, visit Marin Agricultural Land Trust at www.malt.org for an opportunity to spend time on family farms and ranches, connect with landowners and work with MALT’s staff while learning about protecting farmland.
Our Creamery
Sustainable Manufacturing
Innovative practices to reduce waste and use renewable energy are the primary focus of our company’s sustainability strategy. These
innovations are consistent with Straus Family Creamery’s history of doing business right.
