Company information

Crystal brand dairy products have been a part of California for over 100 years. Throughout our history we have remained committed to providing the freshest, local dairy products. Founded by George Knox in 1901 we were originally known as Crystal Cream & Butter. Crystal started in the back of a small grocery store located at 728 K Street in Sacramento, California. That is where George and Caroline Knox churned butter. Twenty years later in 1921, Crystal was purchased by Carl Hansen, a Danish immigrant. When Hansen purchased Crystal, the products were still limited to butter and cream but in 1931 under Hansen’s leadership Crystal offered Sacramento its first bottled milk. This was the beginning of the expansion of Crystal’s family of products to include such products as cottage cheese, sour cream, ice cream and yogurt. The Hansen family was recognized as leaders in the dairy industry, pioneering many new technologies and growing Crystal into one of the last large independent dairy processors in the state of California. The Hansens ran the company for 86 years before selling to HP Hood, LLC. In 2007, family-operated Foster Farms Dairy purchased Crystal bringing the brand back to its family-owned roots. Foster Farms Dairy was founded in 1941 by Max and Verda Foster and is still family-owned and operated. Today the company is led by Dennis Roberts. Since becoming part of the Foster Farms Dairy family, the Crystal brand has continued its century old tradition of providing the highest quality, freshest, local dairy products. That’s why when it comes to feedng your family, the choice is clear… Crystal.