Once Upon a Farm unveils new dairy lineup, embraces regenerative farming

The 4-ounce A2/A2 whole milk shake pouches contain organic fresh fruits and vegetables, and are available in three flavors: Strawberry Crème, Triple Berry and Banana Crème. The company sources A2/A2 organic whole milk from grass-fed cows from Alexandre Family Farms, “a brand that values product quality and integrity along with being the first and leading regenerative organic-certified dairy farm in the US utilizing holistic farming practices that build soil health,” Foraker explained. Alexandre Family Farms’ A2/A2 cows produce milk with the A2/A2 protein, which offers the potential for easier digestion and improved health due to its similarity to human milk, in contrast to A1/A2 milk proteins produced from conventional, commercial cow farms. “The difference of A2/A2 dairy comes from the protein found in cow’s milk. Most commercial cows today produce a mix of A1/A2 proteins. A2/A2 milk comes from cows that produce only the A2 protein – just like they used to. The result is milk that is closer to what humans naturally produce,” Foraker elaborated. Once Upon a Farm’s decision to partner with the Northern California-based farm, which practices regenerative farming methods like manure composting, rotational grazing and fair wages for employees, was rooted in the brand’s focus on contributing towards a sustainable dairy industry. “When we decided to step into dairy, we were mindful that animal agriculture can have a notably higher carbon footprint than fruits and vegetables. So, it was important to us that any farms we work with implement holistic practices. We were looking for a partner that both shares our mission of championing organic agriculture and goes beyond, by stewarding both people and ecosystems,” Foraker explained. Once Upon a Farm will debut its whole milk smoothies in February – joining its dairy-free line. The new whole milk smoothies contain fruits and vegetables, no added sugar and are made from organic grass-fed whole milk in three flavors: Banana Berry Blast, Mango Pear-adise and Orange Squeeze. *Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly identified Alexandre Family Farms' location. The farm is based in Northern California, not New York.