Top Picks for Creamy Cow Milk Brands

Navigating the milk aisle can be a daunting task with the plethora of choices available. From local organic farms to large-scale dairy processors, consumers are presented with a variety of options when selecting the best cow milk brands that align with their preferences and dietary needs. The decision often boils down to factors such as taste, nutritional content, ethical farming practices, and sustainability. If you're curious to explore which brands stand out in each of these aspects, take a look below for a comprehensive list.

Illustration of cow milk

Best brands of cow milk in 2025

Organic Valley

Organic Valley stands as a leading producer of organic cow milk, supporting over 1,600 organic farms, including about 1,400 dairy farms, and producing a staggering 5.2 billion gallons of organic milk annually from approximately 352,000 organic milk cows in the U.S. In 2023, the cooperative welcomed 84 new family farms, demonstrating its commitment to sustainable organic farming and protecting over 460,000 acres of organic farmland. Organic Valley's milk is renowned for its high nutritional quality, thanks to the cows' grazing in green pastures, which enhances the milk's omega-3 and CLA content. The cooperative ensures stable and farmer-determined compensation for its members, promoting a strong sense of community and integrity in organic farming practices. Organic Valley's products are free from antibiotics, synthetic hormones, toxic pesticides, and GMOs, making them a preferred choice for health-conscious consumers. Explore their whole milk options to enjoy their high nutritional quality benefits.

Horizon Organic

Horizon Organic, a subsidiary of Danone, is the largest organic dairy company in the US, known for its high-quality organic milk products. Since its certification in 1994, Horizon Organic has worked with over 500 family-owned organic dairy farms across 23 states, sourcing 94% of its milk from these farms. The company is committed to sustainable practices, aiming to become carbon neutral by 2025, and uses renewable wind power to offset its energy usage. Horizon Organic ensures its cows are fed non-GMO feed and are not treated with antibiotics or growth hormones, maintaining strict animal welfare standards. With a diverse range of products, including whole milk, yogurt, and cheese, Horizon Organic is a leader in the organic dairy market.

Straus Family Creamery

Straus Family Creamery is a renowned producer of premium organic dairy products, having been the first 100% certified organic creamery in the United States since its founding in 1994. The creamery processes about 16,000 gallons of milk daily, with a significant portion coming from the Straus Dairy Farm and eight other certified organic dairy farms in Marin and Sonoma Counties. Their products, including milk, butter, yogurt, and ice cream, are made with high-quality organic milk, often featuring higher fat content from Jersey cows. The creamery is committed to sustainable practices, such as waste reduction and the use of eco-friendly equipment cleaning solutions, and has achieved TRUE Zero Waste Certification. Straus Family Creamery's products are known for their superior quality, with butter boasting an 85% fat content and very low moisture levels.

Clover Sonoma

Clover Sonoma is a renowned dairy brand, rooted in a century-long tradition of partnering with small family-run dairies in Sonoma and Marin Counties. Since its inception in 1916 as the Petaluma Cooperative Creamery, Clover Sonoma has grown to process over 100,000 gallons of milk daily, with a modern bottling plant in Petaluma that tripled output since its upgrade in 1992. The company is committed to sustainability, animal welfare, and quality, having rejected rBST since its introduction and becoming the first U.S. dairy certified by the American Humane Association. Clover Sonoma also boasts a B-Corp certification and has integrated Non-GMO Project Verified feed into its operations. With 29 supplier dairy farms, including 12 producing conventional milk and three transitioning to Non-GMO feed, Clover Sonoma continues to support local agriculture and community development. You can find more about their commitment to sustainability and their heritage on their about us page.

Stonyfield Organic

Stonyfield Organic is a leading producer of organic cow milk products, renowned for its commitment to healthy food, healthy people, and a healthy planet. Founded in 1983 by Samuel Kaymen and Gary Hirshberg, the company started with just seven cows and has since grown to support hundreds of organic family farms and over 40,000 organic acres of land. Stonyfield Organic emphasizes sustainability by avoiding the use of toxic persistent pesticides, artificial hormones, antibiotics, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs); notably, in 2022, they avoided 10.8 million pounds of fertilizer and 181 thousand pounds of pesticides. Demonstrating impressive growth, the company's sales increased from $3.5 million in FY1990 to $56.8 million in FY2000, and it currently holds approximately 3.3 percent of the U.S. yogurt market. Additionally, Stonyfield Organic is recognized for its environmental initiatives, including using 100% renewable electricity for its manufacturing facility. For more information, visit their official website.

Fairlife

Fairlife, founded in 2012, stands out as a leading producer of high-protein, ultra-filtered cow milk, offering 50% more protein and 50% less sugar than conventional milk. The brand has achieved significant growth, surpassing $1 billion in annual retail sales and reaching a quarter of all U.S. households. Fairlife's innovative ultra-filtration process enhances nutritional content, including 30% more calcium, and ensures the milk is lactose-free. Despite facing capacity constraints, the brand continues to expand, with a new production facility planned in New York state. Fairlife's commitment to animal welfare and sustainability is underscored by its advanced dairy technology and rigorous quality control measures.

Maple Hill Creamery

Maple Hill Creamery is a leading producer of high-quality, 100% grass-fed organic cow milk, representing a critical segment of the dairy industry with just over 1% of the total dairy retail milk supply. The company works with 135 independent small family farms, each averaging 50 cows, primarily located in upstate New York and Pennsylvania. Maple Hill products, including fluid milk, yogurt, kefir, and butter, are distributed in over 7,500 stores nationwide and hold the #2 share in their key fluid milk segment, generating retail sales of over $85 million. The brand is known for its commitment to regenerative practices and conscious animal farming, ensuring a healthier and more nutrition-dense product. This model has enabled small family farms to compete effectively in an increasingly industrial farm environment. For more information, visit their official website.

Tillamook

Tillamook, a renowned dairy brand, is committed to exceptional cow care and high-quality milk production. In 2020, 100% of the milk used in Tillamook products came from suppliers adhering to the Farmers Assuring Responsible Management (FARM) standards, with 75.4% of the milk having a somatic cell count (SCC) below 200,000 per milliliter. The company has partnered with farms like Threemile Canyon Farms, which produces a significant portion of the milk, and has implemented rigorous animal care and environmental protection programs. Tillamook aims to achieve 100% SCC below 200,000 per milliliter by 2025 and has seen a 20% improvement in average somatic cell counts at Threemile Canyon Farms. As a Certified B Corporation, Tillamook emphasizes stewardship of cows, farms, people, and the environment. For more information about their commitment to high-quality dairy production, visit their official website.

Happy Cow Creamery

Happy Cow Creamery is a renowned family-owned dairy farm in Pelzer, South Carolina, celebrated for its innovative and sustainable farming practices. The farm, operated by Tom Trantham, has seen significant growth, with sales increasing by 307% from October 2002 to October 2003. Trantham's unique "12 Aprils" rotating pasture feeding system, which involves letting cows graze on the top half of plants, has led to a notable increase in milk production, up to five pounds per cow per day. This method also results in milk with higher nutritional value, including up to four times more conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) than traditional store-bought milk. Happy Cow Creamery was the first recipient of the USDA's Patrick Madden Award for Sustainable Agriculture in 2002.

Shamrock Farms

Shamrock Farms is a leading producer of high-quality cow milk, celebrating 82 years of experience in the dairy industry. The company is vertically integrated, sourcing about 50% of its milk from its own herd and the remainder from cooperatives like the Maryland and Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association. Shamrock Farms' state-of-the-art facilities produce 132 million gallons of milk annually, using both High Temperature Short Time (HTST) and Extended Shelf Life (ESL) technologies. The company's ESL process extends the shelf life of milk to 82 days, significantly longer than HTST's 14 to 21 days. With a commitment to growth, Shamrock Farms is investing $59 million to expand its Virginia facility, further enhancing its production capabilities.