Allied Purchasing celebrates its 80th year in 2017 and is the oldest dairy purchasing cooperative in the United States. Its chief service is helping members improve their bottom line through volume purchasing. Allied has a strong focus on customer service with account managers who are well-versed in pricing of products, placing orders and solving customer service issues. It helps with issues such as order and freight problems, taking the burden off its members. Allied believes customer service is talking to a real person when you call and not simply having to dial “0” to be connected.

Allied Purchasing joined forces with Quality Chekd Dairies, Lisle, Ill., and SECO (South East Cooperative Organization), Lisle, Ill., to become a third partner with QCS Purchasing LLC, also in Lisle. The combined purchasing power of the three organizations helps keep members competitive in a challenging marketplace.

By joining together with QCS, Allied Purchasing offers a unique diversified portfolio and expands its supplier offerings and improves pricing to the dairy industry, along with other Allied Purchasing divisions: bottled water, treated water, soft drinks and brewing. Allied has found that many member companies rely on diversification and crossover products to fuel their growth into new production categories. This product diversification has been an asset from both a supplier and a member viewpoint, helping both to achieve their business goals.

Allied Purchasing is a member-owned, not-for-profit purchasing organization led by a board of directors who are also members. With the changing landscape among suppliers and the trend toward company mergers in the industries served, Allied continues to add new members to its current base of approximately 1,600 plant locations.

“The success of Allied Purchasing is based on integrity, confidentiality, credibility and commitment to our members and suppliers,” said Brian Janssen, president and CEO. “Allied Purchasing has changed and evolved as the needs of members have grown and expanded.”

Allied’s board of directors helps guide the co-op’s success and, as owners of companies, they draw from their personal experiences in running their own businesses. The board consists of Andy Pincus, president of Carbonator Rental, Philadelphia; Thom Heiken, president of Crystal Clear Water, Des Moines, Iowa; Ken Kohlwey, president of Cedar Crest Ice Cream, Manitowoc, Wis.; William Meier, president of Excel Bottling, Breese, Ill.; Fred Dewey Jr., president of Harrisburg Dairies, Harrisburg, Pa.; Rick Doerner, president of Fizz-O Water, Tulsa, Okla.; Malone Garret, president of Nantze Springs Water, Dothan, Ala.; and Winslow Stenseng, president of Culligan Water of the Rio Grande Valley, San Benito, Texas.

President and CEO Janssen reports to the board of directors and is assisted by the sales team of Linda Jenson, Nicole Residorfer and Kari Mondt.

Products at a glance

Among the products available through Allied Purchasing are bottles (HDPE, polycarbonate, PET), orange juice concentrate, ingredients/flavorings for ice cream and milk, milk caps, resin (HDPE, PET), labels, bags (BIB), shrink/stretch wrap, corrugated, invert sugar, sweeteners, ice cream cartons/bulk cans, plastic containers, chemicals, cones, nuts, freezers, milk coolers, paper milk cartons, milk crates, tires and other general items for dairies.

Prospective members can join Allied by purchasing a share of stock for $50. This investment provides the independent business the chance to lower cost, gain purchasing power and compete as a larger entity while concentrating on its core business.  

This article was prepared by Allied Purchasing Co. For more information, visit www.alliedpurchasing.com.