Siggi's Dairy
| Industry | Dairy |
|---|---|
| Founder | Siggi Hilmarsson |
Area served | United States |
| Products | Skyr |
| Owner | Icelandic Milk & Skyr Corporation |
Number of employees | 9 (2010) |
| Website |
siggisdairy |
Siggi's Dairy is an American brand of skyr – an Icelandic version of yogurt – that is owned by Icelandic Milk & Skyr Corporation and was launched in Whole Foods Market stores across the United States in 2008. The company was founded by Icelandic native Siggi Hilmarsson, who had previously sold his yogurt locally in New York. Siggi's was the fastest-growing national yogurt brand in 2015.
History
Siggi Hilmarsson, who was born in Iceland c. 1976, moved to the United States in 2002, to attend Columbia Business School in New York and earn a Master of Business Administration. Hilmarsson, who grew up on a "classic Nordic, Scandinavian diet," was surprised by the amount of sugar in the country's foods: "There was so much sugar in so many things, including yogurt. Some brands had the same amount of sugar as a can of soda."[1][2][3]
In 2005, Hilmarsson used his mother's recipe and began making his own yogurt, stating that he "wanted less sugar and less ingredients," but also because he missed the thick texture of Icelandic skyr. Hilmarsson said that his test batches were "sometimes great, sometimes horrible." Hilmarsson gave a test batch to Liz Thorpe, a friend who worked as vice president at Murray's Cheese in Greenwich Village: "One of her buyers got back to me and said 'If you're making this on a regular basis, we'll stock it.' That was my signal to take things from an enthusiast to a businessman." Hilmarsson quit his job later that year and began making yogurt experiments full-time in a test dairy plant at Morrisville State College in Upstate New York. After Hilmarsson prepared his first bulk order, it went on sale at Murray's Cheese. In 2006, Hilmarsson was selling his yogurt at a local market in New York.[1][2][3]
In late 2007, Hilmarsson was contacted by Whole Foods Market, which expressed interest in the yogurt and its low-sugar concept, and wanted him to provide a presentation in Austin, Texas. In January 2008, Hilmarsson's yogurt went on sale in half of all Whole Foods stores across the United States, rather than starting in a few regions first, which was customary.[1][2][3] During summer 2008, rapid demand outpaced the company's production capabilities. Hilmarsson had to cease production and shipping of the yogurt so he could raise money to purchase the necessary equipment to increase production and meet demands.[4] In July 2010, private equity firm Revelry Brands acquired a minority stake in Hilmarsson's company, Icelandic Milk & Skyr Corporation. In August 2010, the company had nine employees and approximately 350 cows from six family farms.[5]
To handle the potential of growing demand, the company began transitioning to a larger plant in 2013.[4] As of 2014, Siggi's yogurt was largely only available at Whole Foods and Target stores. That year, The Atlantic favorably described Siggi's yogurt as "tangy" and sour, but noted that it was more expensive than its competitor Chobani.[6] By 2015, the company had a backup manufacturing facility in Wisconsin; Hilmarsson said, "When your business grows enough, you don't want to rely on just one plant." As of 2015, Siggi's was available in 8,800 stores across the United States.[4] Siggi's was the fastest-growing national yogurt brand in 2015, with sales up 120 percent from 2014. In 2016, Siggi's was available in 11,000 stores across the United States, including ShopRite, Target, and Wegmans.[3]
References
- 1 2 3 Bilow, Rochelle (February 22, 2016). "Meet Siggi of Siggi's Dairy (He's a Real Person!)". Bon Appétit. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Murphy, Jen (November 9, 2015). "Siggi Hilmarsson, Maker of Creamy Icelandic-Style Yogurt, Plays Tough". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Sportelli, Natalie (February 25, 2016). "The Founder Behind Siggi's Dairy, The Fastest-Growing Yogurt Brand In America". Forbes. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
- 1 2 3 Huddleston, Jr., Tom (June 2, 2015). "How this Icelandic yogurt company dealt with huge demand". Fortune. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
- ↑ Priluck, Jill (August 13, 2010). "The Yogurt Chronicles: Siggi's builds a niche market from an ancient Icelandic recipe". Slate. Retrieved November 24, 2016.
- ↑ Khazan, Olga (June 25, 2014). "Icelandic Skyr Is Coming for Greek Yogurt". The Atlantic. Retrieved November 24, 2016.