FAQs – Hiland Dairy

FAQs

Locating Hiland Dairy Products

  • Q Where can I buy Hiland Dairy products?

    Hiland Dairy products are located throughout the Midwest- from Nebraska to Texas. Visit our Where to Buy page for retail locations near you.

  • Q My store doesn’t carry Hiland Dairy products. What can I do?

    We have created an easy form for you to fill out and give to the store’s manager. You can find it here.

  • Q Can I order Hiland Dairy products online if I live outside the distribution area?

    No. Unfortunately, we are not able to ship our products out of our current distribution area. This is due to the freshness of our product and our commitment to maintain the high quality.

  • Q How do I arrange a delivery to my business?

    Hiland Dairy is honored to receive your request. There are several factors that influence if we’re able to service your business. Please submit your request through our contact form.

Coupons

  • Q How can I get coupons for Hiland Dairy products?

    We offer exclusive coupons at our coupon page. These coupons are regularly rotated throughout the year. Hiland Dairy does not honor requests for free product coupons.

  • Q What do I do if I’m having trouble printing the online coupons?

    We strive to provide only the best services for our loyal customers and we are pleased to offer you a variety of printable online coupons. However, due to the complexities associated with individual computer systems, printers and Internet browsers, we are unable to offer any technical support regarding issues with the printing of online coupons.

    A few suggestions:

    • Make sure you have created an account at hilanddairy.com/coupons and are logged in
    • Make sure your printer is properly connected
    • Make sure you disable any pop-up blockers
    • Make sure you are set up to print at "best" quality

    If you are still experiencing trouble, please contact your Internet service provider and/or consult the owner's manual of your computer or printer for further assistance.

  • Q Why won’t the store accept Hiland Dairy’s coupons?

    Redemption of online coupons is at the sole discretion of each individual store. Hiland Dairy cannot guarantee online coupon redemption, or confirm participating stores. It is recommended that you verify redemption policies with your retailer of choice before attempting to redeem any online coupons.

Product Tips

  • Q Why did my Hiland Dairy product spoil before the expiration date?

    There are a few reasons this may happen. As fresh product, it is important to keep most at 40° F or cooler throughout the process from plant to store to home. If the storage temperature is ever higher, then it will shorten its shelf life.

  • Q How can I avoid ice cream from crystallizing?

    When you scoop ice cream, keep the surface as level as possible. Cover the surface with plastic wrap before tightly covering the ice cream and return it to the freezer immediately.

  • Q Do I need to throw away product when it’s after the sell by date?

    If properly refrigerated, milk generally stays fresh for several days after the sell by date. For other dairy products, proper refrigeration ensures freshness for a few days beyond the sell by date. The date on milk and other dairy food containers indicates when the product was manufactured or meant to be sold by. It does not reflect the shelf life of the product.

  • Q Can I freeze any Hiland Dairy products?

    Freezing most dairy foods is not recommended. You can freeze butter, ice cream, and other frozen dairy desserts. Hard cheeses can also be frozen, but the texture may be affected.

  • Q Which Hiland Dairy products are gluten-free?

    Many of our dairy products and beverages are gluten-free. Please view our list of products. Please note that our dairy foods and beverages not listed here may contain gluten.

  • Q What should I do with the cream on top of my milk?

    It is normal for a cream layer to form as milk settles. You can remove the layer of cream and use in coffee or for cooking purposes, or simply shake the bottle to distribute back into the milk.

Pasteurization

  • Q What is pasteurization?

    Pasteurization is a heating process used to destroy bacteria, such as salmonella and E. coli. During pasteurization, chilled raw milk is heated by passing it between heated stainless-steel plates until it reaches a minimum temperature of 161° F. It’s then held at that temperature for at least 15 seconds before it’s quickly cooled back to its original temperature of 39° F. Hiland’s pasteurization process exceeds these minimums to ensure the maximum bacteria are destroyed.

  • Q Are Hiland Dairy’s milk and other products pasteurized?

    Yes. All Hiland products are either pasteurized or made from Hiland Dairy milk, which is pasteurized. This includes Hiland Dairy egg nog, orange juice, and apple juice.

  • Q Does pasteurization destroy the vitamins in milk?

    No. Pasteurization does not significantly change the nutritional value of milk. In fact, pasteurized milk provides all of milk's nutritional benefits without the risk of illness that comes with drinking raw milk. Pasteurized milk is an excellent source of 13 essential nutrients including calcium, protein, riboflavin, vitamins A and D, and phosphorous, and it's a good source of thiamin and B12.

  • Q Is raw milk better?

    No. Raw milk can harbor dangerous bacteria that can pose serious health risks to you and your family. The pasteurization process kills those bacteria. Many medical and scientific organizations — including the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics - recommend pasteurization for all milk consumed by humans. Pregnant women are advised not to consume unpasteurized dairy and juice products because of the bacteria that may be present.

Artificial Growth Hormones

  • Q What is rBST or rBGH?

    Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), sometimes referred to as recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), is a synthetic version of the bovine growth hormone. It is injected into dairy cows to induce them to increase milk production. Hormones are never added to milk directly.

  • Q Does Hiland Dairy use milk from cows treated with rbST?

    No. Since 2008, Hiland Dairy only uses milk from dairy farmers who have pledged not to treat their cows with artificial growth hormones.

Social Responsibility

  • Q Does Hiland Dairy care about sustainability?

    Yes. Hiland Dairy pledges to be responsible in all phases of our production and delivery processes. Hiland Dairy also supports the industry-wide Environmental Stewardship Goals to achieve carbon neutrality or better collectively, optimize water usage, and improve water quality by 2050. Learn more here.

  • Q Can Hiland Dairy’s packaging be recycled?

    Yes. All Hiland Dairy paper and plastic containers are recyclable. Check with your local recycling facility to determine which products they may or may not recycle.

  • Q How does Hiland Dairy contribute to its community?

    As your hometown dairy, it is vitally important to Hiland Dairy to support our shared community. Other than providing jobs with great pay and benefits, our employees volunteer thousands of hours at various organizations. Hiland Dairy also donates thousands of pounds of product along with thousands of monetary donations company-wide. Learn more here.

  • Q Will Hiland Dairy contribute to my special event or fundraiser?

    We can’t accommodate every request. Hiland Dairy does know the importance of being a good community member and strives to support events and organization that seek to make our communities a better place to live. Please Contact us to submit your request.

  • Q What is Hiland Dairy’s stance on animal welfare?

    Hiland Dairy does not own dairy farms so does not deal directly with cows. As a farmer-owned dairy processor, we are a member of FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management). FARM evaluates dairy farms to ensure the best care of cows and their wellness.

  • Q Where does Hiland Dairy get its milk?

    When you choose Hiland Dairy, you can be confident that you’re purchasing hometown quality and freshness from a dairy farm near you. Most of Hiland’s farmer-owners live within a 100-mile radius of our processing plants. This means that Hiland Dairy is able to deliver farm fresh milk to your table. On average, Hiland’s milk goes from the farm to the store within 24 hours.

Milk Crates

  • Q Why does Hiland Dairy use milk crates?

    Milk crates are a part of our sustainability efforts as an earth-friendly delivery system. Milk crates are reused for many years then recycled when worn out to avoid waste. See our other sustainability practices here.

  • Q Can I buy milk crates from Hiland Dairy?

    Hiland Dairy does not sell milk crates. Hiland Dairy actually reuses and recycles crates as a more sustainable way to deliver our product! Also, never purchase Hiland Dairy milk crates from another party as the sale is not legal. Milk crate style storage containers are typically available at large retailers.

  • Q Should I return a milk crate that belongs to Hiland Dairy?

    Yes. Please return the crates to your local Hiland Dairy. You can also contact the location to arrange for pickup. You can find contact information here.

  • Q Is it illegal to take or even have possession of a milk crate?

    Yes. The theft of milk crates costs the dairy industry more than $80 million a year. Every state has milk crate theft laws that leads to a fine.

Employment

  • Q Is Hiland Dairy hiring?

    With 19 plants as well as over 60 distribution centers, Hiland Dairy is often hiring for different types of positions. The best way to check for current employment opportunities is to visit our careers page.

  • Q What types of positions does Hiland Dairy have?

    There is a large variety of jobs at Hiland Dairy. We employ people in accounting, clerical, sales, distribution, production, and maintenance. The best way to check for current employment opportunities is to visit our careers page.

  • Q Does Hiland Dairy provide benefits for employees?

    Hiland Dairy believes in treating our greatest asset, our people, right. This includes providing a competitive compensation package that includes a variety of benefits. Each location may have different benefits depending on local laws and union contracts. You an learn more at our careers page.

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