Our History

It all started in 1927, when Harvey Richards opened a new dairy in Harlingen, Texas, and began delivering pasteurized milk to the surrounding community. By 1937, they moved their headquarters to a now historic building on South F Street, where they housed their production plant for cottage cheese and other cultured products. 

It wasn't long before Hygeia Dairy was expanding all across Southern Texas, acquiring plants in McAllen, Houston, Kingsville, McKinney and Corpus Christi in the late 1960s. But maybe the biggest splash the dairy made was in the late 1980s, when it began bottling milk products in the now iconic yellow jugs. The yellow jugs help block harmful light rays and protect the freshness of the milk inside — another example of Hygeia's commitment to quality. 

Today, our future looks as bright as those distinctive yellow jugs. The dairy is owned by a cooperative of family farmers who are committed to making high-quality products and caring for their communities.