No explanation from management as to why the Golden Guernsey milk plant in Waukesha was shut-down over the weekend. The plant supplied milk to hundreds of schools and retailers. The plant is owned by OpenGate Capital, a Los Angeles private equity firm.
Golden Guernsey president Brad Parks confirmed that the plant has closed, although he would not conform that the 112 employees have lost their jobs. He calls it an ongoing process.
Mapleton Dairy Haulers, which has delivered milk from the plant since 1976, says the last loads of Golden Guernsey were delivered Monday morning. They have secured loads from Kemps, assuring no interruption of milk supply.
Foremost Farms USA ran the plant for years, before selling it and their plant in DePere to Dean Foods in 2009. That sale raised concerns that Dean Foods controlled too much of the milk market in Wisconsin, Illinois and the Upper Peninsula. The state’s Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan filed suit along with the U.S. Department of Justice, and that resulted in Dean selling the plant to the Los Angeles firm in September of 2011.
Bob Meyer, Brownfield