Summer 2025

       First I want to say thank you for all your support throughout the years and thanks to those of you who have recently written with questions and concerns about our new packaging and yogurt consistency.  Second, I'd like to apologize for not writing this sooner.  I have been in a frenzied state getting set up and running with new yogurt processing and packaging equipment amidst delays and technician cancellations that pushed out the setup completion until mid June.  When all that was said and done, we started off at full throttle just before the start of the busy summer season which we were barely ready for.  Anyway, I owe you all an explanation of the changes that have taken place in the last 2 months, some positive and some (as some of you are aware of ) negative. 

For a little background information....

 

       In the Spring of 2024, we started a GoFundMe campaign with a goal to raise enough funds to purchase new upgraded, larger capacity yogurt making equipment which included a double capacity milk pasteurizer, a double capacity milk cooling tank, and a new semi automated yogurt filling and sealing machine.  With your generosity, we raised over $5000 in just a few months which was amazing!  I can't thank you all enough for your donations and support which helped us tremendously which I'll share with you later in this narrative.

 

       In early Summer of 2024, we were informed by the Vermont Department of Agriculture about a grant funding opportunity by the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center titled; Dairy Processor Modernization Grant which was open for dairy processors in 11 New England States including Vermont. This funding was to be used for upgrading dairy processing equipment to expand processing capacities for both new and/or increased sales of regional dairy products. This opportunity aligned perfectly with our goals of replacing our inefficient and undersized pasteurizer and manual packaging system with higher tech and larger capacity yogurt processing and packaging equipment which would allow us to accommodate the new inquiries we had to turn away due to the fact that we had reached our maximum processing capacity. During the summer months, we were making full batches of yogurt 7 days a week with no more available capacity or time to process more.  Adding to this frustration was the fact that it took 12-16 manual labor hours per day coupled with high energy usage to process and package a minimal amount of yogurt due to the undersized and inefficient pasteurizer and manual packaging equipment we were using.  

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       With a 25% matching funds commitment and a spark of hope and anticipation, I applied for this grant with help from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board's Business Planning and Consulting Program that I signed up for and who assigned me a professional, knowledgeable and enthusiastic grant writer.   In 2 months time with her help, the 30 page application was completed and sent in on August 7th, 2024.  On September 17, 2024, I received the email notification that I was awarded the funding!  I was beyond thrilled that I was going to be getting much needed, new and improved yogurt processing and packaging equipment and the GoFundMe donations you graciously donated were used to help pay for the $28,000 cash match I needed to contribute out of pocket. 

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       Winter, 2024/2025 was spent ordering the new equipment, preparing our facility by installing new wiring and plumbing,  ordering new containers and seals, and attending training sessions to learn how to run the new equipment.  It was not until June, 2025 that the whole process was finished in which we received, installed, completed inspections, and started using the new equipment.   
 

       The new packaging machine we received is small enough to fit in our tiny facility; is semi-automated (reducing manual labor and time), and fills and seals both our 6oz and now 24oz size containers using foil seals. In order for this machine to fill both sizes, we had to downsize from the 32oz. containers because the largest fill volume the new machine can do is 24 oz fills. This is one of the changes we had to make because of the machine's limitations. We did however, lower the wholesale price accordingly with hopes that the retails stores would do the same. The other unforeseeable change is that we can no longer cup-set our yogurt. When you cup set yogurt, you pour hot cultured milk into the container and let it sit for 8-12 hours while it turns into a semi solid mass of yogurt in which the cream has risen to the top during the incubation period. Unfortunately, this new machine cannot fill containers with hot liquid milk without splashing on the rim which prevents the new lids from sealing properly. So, only preset and stirred yogurt can be filled into the containers. Now, the entire batch of yogurt with the custard consistency and cream on the top takes place in the pasteurizer. which when the yogurt is finished incubating and set, it is then stirred before it goes into the containers. This causes the yogurt to be smooth and creamy instead of solid custard-like. We still use the same recipe using the same whole Jersey Cow's milk and cream and 5 strains of live, active cultures as before; only the packaging process has changed. This change was the hardest because of the love of the "Cream Top" custard consistency from our customers, but having no choice, we realized the benefits outweighed the negatives due to all the positive outcomes that resulted in us being able to continue and even grow our business with the increased demand for our yogurt.

 

       Lastly but certainly not least, during the process of upgrading and running the new equipment, it took a learning curve to regulate the times and temperatures correctly and during the learning process, the first couple of weeks we made yogurt, it came out very thin and runny.  We ended up consulting with a professional dairy products specialist from the Netherlands and with his help, we finally mastered the technique and now our batches of yogurt are thicker and creamier and we are now very happy with the results. It won't be the custard consistency with cream top but the cream is mixed in so it actually contains more cream throughout the yogurt instead of just on the top. I hope this information helps shed some light on our rough start with the new equipment and for those of you who have purchased our first month's thin batches of yogurt, I hope you will consider trying our yogurt again.  We are always striving to make the best, creamiest and thickest yogurt and hope that you can understand that the decision for the new equipment was necessary for our business' sustainability and longevity.

 

       We now couldn't be more happier with our new 5 day processing schedule along with the  time, energy usage, and manual labor we are saving.  Before this change, we were headed for business closure due to staff burnout, high labor inefficiencies and high production costs. The bottom line is that Sweet Cow Yogurt wasn't a sustainable nor a profitable business. Now with these necessary upgrades, all the boxes are checked for labor, time, energy, cost and environmental (less plastic use) efficiencies and we are very optimistic and dedicated to continue making the best yogurt we can well into the future.   

 

Thank you for understanding and again

for all your support and dedication!

Sincerely,

Diane Wyatt & Family​

Sweet Cow Yogurt

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                                                              Pictured from left to right: Tom, Diane, Sharon, Chris