Dairy 2U Connects Shoppers with Locally-Sourced Products

ST. CLOUD -- The milkman is making a comeback in the St. Cloud area - with a twist.

Dairy 2U is a new, online-based distribution company that coordinates the delivery of locally-sourced milk, along with butter, eggs, bread and pizzas, for delivery to local homes and offices.

Owner Brad Hagfors has been up and running with Dairy 2U since September. His business plan is straightforward: local producers deliver products to Hagfor's St. Cloud distribution facility, Hagfors assembles orders, and employees of locally-based Food Dudes Delivery service bring orders to customers in the St. Cloud metro area on weekday mornings or mid-afternoons.

Hagfors partners with Melrose-based Stony Creek Farms, which supplies milk and butter. Dairy 2U also offers eggs, bread from Backwards Bread Company in St. Cloud, and Harry's Pizza's, made in Elrosa.

Hagfors' inventory isn't widely represented in the St. Cloud retail world. Only one store carries Stony Creek dairy items.

"There isn't any place to really find them," Hagfors says. "So, opening up the St. Cloud market is really exciting - for us and for them."

Right now, Dairy 2U is a one-man operation, but Hagfors says he has help. In the last several weeks, they've processed orders for over 40 customers.

Hagfors says he has no interest in the full-service grocery delivery business. His goal is to support a select few local businesses while making shopping for basics simpler.

"If you go to the store, nine times out of 10, you wind up with a whole cart, and you only went for a few items," Hagfors laughs. "So we thought, if could deliver something that you need on a weekly basis to your home, and you know it's coming, would that be of interest? So far the answer has been a resounding yes."

Dairy 2U is based strictly online. To learn more, visit their website.