Brothers Doug and Steve Feldkamp are musing on the properties of milk, which has a shelf life of about 18 to 21 days. Three weeks is both good and bad, say the owners of Umpqua Dairy Products Co., Roseburg, Ore. It’s bad that the time between manufacturing and delivery is so short that every step in the process has to be accomplished timely and efficiently. But it’s good because the products need to be continuously replenished. Doug Feldkamp is the chief executive officer. Older brother Steve is chief operating officer.
Umpqua Dairy actually promises a 21-day shelf life and goes one step further, guaranteeing an extra five days beyond the date stamped on the package. That is how confident it is of its processing quality. A measure like this is one reason the small, family-owned business can compete and thrive in a competitive dairy landscape.