About Hood®
With manufacturing plants across the country, HP Hood LLC ® is one of the largest and most well known branded dairy operators in the United States. Founded in 1846 by Harvey Perley Hood in Charlestown, Massachusetts, the company began as a milk delivery service and eventually grew into the New England and national icon that it is today. Their extensive portfolio of national and super-regional brands includes Hood, Crowley Foods, Simply Smart® Milk, Heluva Good!, LACTAID®, BAILEYS® Coffee Creamers, HERSHEY’s Milk & Milkshakes, and Blue Diamond Almond Breeze®.
Advancing Business with Science
Cornell and Hood have a rich and lengthy history of collaboration, dating back to the days when horses were still pulling delivery wagons. As partners, both sides have long recognized the mutual benefits of applying the latest research and technology to the dairy business. Today, more than half of those who run the Cornell Dairy Processing Plant come from Hood, and Hood has added many Cornell graduates to their ranks over the years as well. CIFS-IPP has formalized and helped to bring an already-strong bond between the well-known dairy giant and the University into the 21st century.
We recently had a chance to sit down with senior members of the Hood management team, and here is what they had to say about CIFS-IPP.
Why did you become a CIFS-IPP Member?
Well, we have worked with Cornell scientists since the 1940s, so when the opportunity to officially partner with the University presented itself, we were immediately on board. We are excited to join this special partnership that brings university science and technology to our business to help us find innovative solutions to real challenges.
As one of our Gold-Level partners, what benefits have you enjoyed thus far?
We were very fortunate to take members of the Hood team to the Cornell Food Systems Global Summit this year, where we engaged with many of our stakeholders, networked with other industry companies to explore potential new collaborations, and met with university scientists. It was an invaluable opportunity to have all sectors of the industry together to brainstorm new ideas.
Additionally, we have had several consultations with CIFS faculty members to discuss specific projects and areas for improvement in our plants. CIFS-IPP also presents numerous faculty webinars on interesting and pertinent topics, so we have enjoyed taking advantage of that resource. Overall, we have just really appreciated the level of attention we have received from Cornell scientists and staff, as well as the numerous invitations to conferences and meetings.
Is there anything else you would like other potential CIFS-IPP members to know about your experiences within the Cornell Institute for Food Systems, CALS, or Cornell?
So far, this partnership has been a great addition for us. Cornell’s faculty have actively participated in conceptualizing new projects, presenting solutions, and looking for resources. We plan to further improve and strengthen our relationship with Cornell through CIFS-IPP, starting with holding our Technical Services Meeting at Stocking Hall. In the coming months and years, we look forward to exploring the many other services and benefits that we have not yet had a chance to investigate. For example, we are very excited to work with Cornell researchers to develop a summer internship that will allow us to engage with students and, at the same time, give them experience and insights into the industry.
