If drinking milk straight-up from a glass bottle seems a bit foreign to you, you’re not alone. Even though the Texas dairy industry has continued to grow “meteorically” the last few years, overall milk consumption in the U.S. is down, with liquid milk consumption dropping 40% since 1975. Plant-based dairy alternatives have also taken over some market share, with U.S. retail sales growing 20% in 2020.
But one Texas dairy is beginning to lure both new and old milk drinkers with high-quality, glass-bottled milk and a large dose of nostalgia in the form of doorstep delivery by a milkman.
Volleman’s Family Farm in Gustine, about 100 miles southwest of Fort Worth near Comanche, was established in 1993 by Frank and Annette Volleman, who came from generations of dairy farmers in Luxembourg. After selling their milk commercially for years, they began bottling their own milk in 2020 and selling directly to consumers. They offer whole milk, 2% and heavy cream, in addition to flavored milks like strawberry, chocolate, vanilla and cappuccino.
David Volleman, one of Frank and Annette’s four sons, says the family has always had a passion for getting closer to the consumer. So this summer, they are coming directly to your home. They partnered with Kansas City, Mo.-based Shatto Home Delivery to launch Volleman’s Home Delivery in North Texas on June 21. Shatto Home Delivery was started by Shatto Milk Co. about six years ago, and this is its first expansion outside of Kansas City.
Owner Matt Shatto says the dairy delivery concept has been popular in Kansas City as much for freshness and convenience as for the nostalgia of an old-fashioned milkman service. “Customers who remember the milkman wanted to share that experience with their children and grandchildren,” he says. “And we see the relationship between the milkmen and our families, they’re familiar relationships. It’s refreshing. Some tell me that for the kids, it’s like Christmas every week.”
While Volleman says you can find their bottled milk in more than 160 local stores, home delivery makes things simpler, especially with glass bottles, which can be reused indefinitely. Just put a cooler on your doorstep (you can use your own or buy an old-fashioned milk box from Volleman’s), and your regular milkman (or woman) will deposit your milk and other goods weekly. When you’ve finished the milk, put the glass bottles back in the box for pickup.
Volleman says he enjoys being so connected to the consumer. “With home delivery, there is feedback, lots of communication,” he says. “You can text us back and tell us what products you’d like to see, etc. It’s so much better than in a store.”
And Volleman’s Home Delivery offers more than just milk. They’ve partnered with other North Texas purveyors to offer cheese (Mozzarella Company), bagels (Shug’s Bagels), bread (Empire Baking Co.), kombucha (Holy Kombucha) and more.
The glass bottle difference
Volleman says he has heard from many new customers who were not self-described “milk drinkers,” and that trying high-quality, locally produced milk has changed their habits.
“It’s largely driven from the quality,” he says. “As soon as we milk the cow, that milk is kept cold and clean. And it goes directly from us to the consumer.”
The glass bottles are key. The glass keeps the milk colder and protects it from the environment and imparted flavors from other packaging, Volleman says. Glass is more work though, he adds, because it’s heavier and breakable, so home delivery makes a lot of sense.
Customers also love the different flavors offered. “We make it fun, they love the taste,” Volleman says.
Glass-bottled milk options are often hard to find, but they’re making a sudden resurgence in Texas with Volleman’s as well as new Terrell-based 1836 Farms, an expansion from Phoenix’s Danzeisen Dairy.
In addition to reusing the glass bottles, Volleman’s uses other sustainability measures, like growing their own grasses and corn for cow feed.
“We actually feed the whole corn plant, not just the grain, the whole stalk and stem, too,” Volleman says.
He adds that the farm also cools the cows in a cross-vent barn with fans and sprinklers. “The cows come first. We get them as comfortable as possible,” he says.
The family welcomes customers to visit the dairy for tours on Saturdays to learn about the feeding process and pet the calves.
Volleman’s Home Delivery launched in North Texas on June 21. To learn more, visit vollemanshomedelivery.com. A weekly bundle of 2% milk, a dozen eggs, bacon and a loaf of bread starts at $27.46.
