The casual visitor to Athens, Tenn., would have no idea that dairy products produced here are shipped throughout United States. Even residents of this small town, located in the southeast corner of the state, probably do not know that Mayfield Dairy Farms makes ice cream for other companies to sell in groceries stores across the country.
Mayfield’s dairy plant, located just north of downtown Athens, is a sprawling complex. Drivers of milk tankers check in at one building before unloading at the plant. On one side of Madison Avenue, raw milk is processed into white milk, chocolate milk, buttermilk and other fluid products. In another section of the plant, some of the 200-plus employees also manufacture a wide range of ice cream products, ranging from 14-ounce containers to 3-gallon foodservice tubs.