'Better Butter' Opportunities for Local Food and Entrepreneurship

Kriemhild Dairy Farms, started in New York by Bruce and Nancy Rivington in 2010, has expanded rapidly in response to changing market conditions spurred by growing demand for ‘local’ and ‘pasture-raised’ products. Kriemhild’s entrepreneurial strategy for producing and marketing its pasture-raised butter takes advantage of the company’s ability to leverage alternative (local food system) and conventional resources and infrastructure. The Kriemhild example highlights the importance of: 1) the farm’s scale of operation; 2) the existence of local processing, warehousing, and distribution infrastructure; and 3) the ability to navigate between and capitalize on conventional and ‘alternative’ supply chains.