OUR HISTORY
Est. 1919
Alliston Creamery traces its roots back to the years following the First World War, when local agriculture and business were beginning to grow again across the region. As reported in The Alliston Herald, the new creamery was built to serve area farmers who, each week, brought in their cream and eggs to be processed and sold — providing reliable income and strengthening the rural community.
Constructed in the winter of 1919, the creamery was considered modern for its time, designed to improve efficiency and quality in butter production and dairy handling. From the beginning, it played an important role in supporting local farms and supplying fresh dairy products to the town and surrounding area.
More than a century later, that same spirit of craftsmanship, community, and pride in local dairy continues. Alliston Creamery remains rooted in its heritage while evolving to meet the needs of today honouring the generations of farmers and makers who built its reputation.
THE KENNEDY FAMILY
1968-2026
In 1968, the Kennedy family took ownership of Alliston Creamery, beginning a new chapter in the life of one of Ontario’s last traditional butter makers.
At the time, the creamery was producing just a few churnings of butter a day — a small, hands-on operation rooted in craftsmanship and community.
Under the leadership of Lloyd Kennedy, and later his children Laurie and David Kennedy, the creamery grew steadily while staying true to its origins with multiple generations working side by side, and family life intertwined with the rhythms of butter making.
Through years of change in the dairy industry, the Kennedys modernized where necessary — introducing improved quality controls, automation, and food safety practices — yet preserved the heart of the process: traditional small-batch barrel churning. This method, was credited for producing butter with exceptional flavour and texture, setting Alliston Creamery apart from large industrial producers.
By the early 1990s, Alliston Creamery was recognized as one of only a handful of independent creameries left in Ontario, supplying butter across southern Ontario under several labels, most notably Golden Dawn. Taking pride in using local cream, producing both salted and unsalted butter, and maintaining a simple, honest process that “hadn’t changed much in hundreds of years.”
As consumer tastes shifted and niche markets emerged, David Kennedy led the creamery into a new era of growth. Building on the foundation laid by his parents, he expanded the product lineup beyond traditional butter to include specialty and value-added butters — organic, grass-fed, goat, and water buffalo — serving customers and brands looking for something truly different in the marketplace.
Despite expansion, the essence of Alliston Creamery remained unchanged. A place where butter is still made with care, where family is central, and where pride in product comes before scale. “We make it with love.” For more than five decades, the Kennedy family stewarded Alliston Creamery through changing times, ensuring that a century-old craft not only survived but thrived.
A NEW CHAPTER
Today, Alliston Creamery enters a new chapter as it is proudly carried forward by the Edward and den Haan family, alongside the continued involvement of the Kennedy family. Built on a shared respect for tradition, craftsmanship, and community, this transition is not about changing what makes Alliston special — but about protecting it for generations to come. With deep roots in farming and dairy processing through Sheldon Creek Dairy, the Edward and den Haan family bring experience, energy, and a long-term vision to ensure the creamery’s small-batch methods, exceptional quality, and family-first values endure. Together with the Kennedys, they are committed to honouring the past while investing in a strong, sustainable future for one of Ontario’s last great creameries.
