Elmhurst

In 2016, Henry Schwartz closed New York City's last dairy, Elmhurst. This wasn't easy; Elmhurst had been in his family over 90 years, since his father and uncle hand-bottled and delivered milk to Queens and Brooklyn in a truck full of ice blocks. The cows had long since gone, but a famous tradition had ended...

...Until 2017 when Elmhurst reappeared as, of all things, an innovative plant milk company. How could a committed dairyman like Henry make this shocking change?

Henry was concerned, but also intrigued by a steady decline in dairy consumption and the changing American diet. More and more people were eating healthier, adopting plant-based alternatives, and becoming mindful of environmental impact. Actually, so was he.

Henry could see the future of "milk" – and the possibility of evolving into a non-dairy company. But what did he know about plant milks? Then fate intervened. Around this time, Henry had a chance meeting with a famous plant food scientist, Dr. Cheryl Mitchell, who just so happened to be looking for a partner to help bring her revolutionary HydroRelease™ milling process to market. Using just water, HydroRelease separates the natural components of a grain, nut, or seed before reassembling them as a smooth, creamy beverage. The original ingredient's nutrition is maintained, and no gums or emulsifiers are needed to hold the product together.

Henry went all in on the plant-based revolution, partnering with Dr. Cheryl to bring her technology to market. This meant shutting down a historic dairy. But it was not the end of Elmhurst – just an exciting new chapter in a long family story. Henry preserved the iconic name along with the year it first appeared on the streets of New York. Today, Elmhurst 1925 is the fastest-growing plant-based beverage company on the market!

Elmhurst's process is simpler and better from start to finish. First, a unique HydroRelease™ method allows them to use more of the source grain, nut, or seed. This means superior nutrition and flavor with fewer ingredients. They then package our products in shelf-stable, recyclable cartons. Many have a variety of uses, ranging from cooking to coffee; soups to sauces.