PETALUMA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Straus Family Creamery—renowned for its minimally processed premium organic dairy products and leadership in sustainable and regenerative carbon farming practices—announces the launch of its organic lowfat kefirs, available in two flavors—Plain and Blueberry. As with its milk and cream, the kefir is packaged in the brand’s iconic reusable glass bottles to support the mission-driven company's 30-year tradition in climate-resilient practices, sustainable organic farming, and zero-waste goals.
Kefir is a cultured, fermented milk beverage similar to yogurt, but with a drinkable consistency and more tangy taste. Deliciously creamy and tart, Straus Kefir adheres to the company’s commitment to all organic dairy products made with pure and simple ingredients and no additives, thickeners, stabilizers, or preservatives.
Straus Kefir starts with the slow fermentation of whole and nonfat milk, which are blended together to create a creamy two percent lowfat milk. Similar to Straus Yogurts, it is vat-set with live and active cultures and incubated just long enough to create a clean, balanced, and perfectly tart cultured flavor. In lieu of ultra-pasteurization, this gentle crafting and minimal processing results in a remarkably rich, sweet-fresh flavor and smooth, creamy texture while delivering the quality that has helped Straus Family Creamery earn a following from discerning consumers and Michelin-starred chefs alike.
Vegetarian, gluten free, Non-GMO Project Verified, and certified kosher, Straus Kefir is a nutritious choice. Both flavors boast 11 different beneficial live and active cultures and billions of CFUs (colony-forming units of active microorganisms) per serving. Straus Kefirs also have six nutrient claims—a good source of protein, high in calcium, and low in fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Both are made with no artificial colors or natural flavors. The plain is unsweetened with no added sugars. Its blueberry counterpart is made with real organic blueberries and just five grams of added sugar per serving—less sugar than other leading brands. It also contains prebiotics (a group of nutrients that foster healthy gut bacteria), and both Straus Kefirs deliver 20 percent of the recommended daily value of calcium.
Straus Family Creamery Organic Lowfat Kefir, like all Straus organic dairy products, derives its distinct flavor and velvety texture from the organic milk used to make it. The milk comes from pasture-based herds that graze on the sweet organic grasses of Western Marin and Sonoma Counties on family-owned dairy farms, including Straus Dairy Farm. The certified organic farms are nestled close to Northern California’s coastal region with fresh marine air. The grasses are pesticide-free and rich in beta carotene, and the cows are never treated with hormones or antibiotics.
A healthy addition to granola and smoothies, a delicious morning drink or midday snack, kefir is also a versatile ingredient. Home cooks can use Straus Organic Lowfat Kefir in place of buttermilk to add rich texture, tangy flavor, and lift to pancakes, waffles, cakes, muffins, and more, and harness it as a yogurt alternative for salad dressings. As a marinade, kefir lends flavor and is a perfect tenderizer for chicken and other proteins.
“We always intended to have a great-tasting kefir that meets our sustainability and flavor goals. Like all of our products, the kefir reflects the high quality of the milk from our community of local family farms,” said Albert Straus, founder, Straus Family Creamery. “Developing new organic dairy options for our customers allows us to further support our mission of sustaining family farms and the communities that depend on them.”
Since its founding in 1994, Straus has utilized reusable glass bottles for its milk and cream products. The new organic kefir line continues this tradition, packaged in reusable glass quarts that can be rinsed after use and returned to retailers for the refund of a $3 glass deposit. Straus customers return more than 2.75 million bottles annually for reuse, helping contribute to a circular economy and zero-waste future where, in accordance with Straus Family Creamery’s aspiration, every packaging material is reused, recycled, or composted.
Straus Family Creamery Organic Lowfat Kefir will be available at select Whole Foods Markets and independent natural grocers in Northern California beginning in late January 2024 and at Sprouts Farmers Markets and additional independent stores in select states, West of the Rockies beginning in mid-February. The suggested retail price is $6.49. Find all organic dairy products via Straus’ store locator here.
About Straus Family Creamery
Based in Petaluma, CA, Straus Family Creamery is a Northern California certified organic creamery offering minimally processed milk, cream, yogurt, kefir, ice cream, butter, sour cream, and a variety of wholesale and specialty dairy products distributed throughout the Western United States. The ice cream will be available at Sprouts nationwide, and Greek yogurt and ice cream will be available at Whole Foods beyond the West Coast, starting February 1 and April 1 respectively. The Creamery’s minimally processed dairy products are made with organic milk supplied by family farms in Marin and Sonoma Counties, including the Straus Dairy Farm, which is the first certified organic dairy farm west of the Mississippi River. Straus Family Creamery, the first 100 percent certified organic creamery in the United States, launched in 1994 and continues to make business decisions based on its mission to help sustain family farms, revitalize rural communities, and protect the environment. Straus Family Creamery was founded by Albert Straus, a second-generation dairy farmer and climate action pioneer whose Straus Dairy Farm is currently on track to implement a carbon-neutral dairy farming model, believed to be the first of its kind. Straus Family Creamery is collaborating with its supplying dairy farms to reach carbon neutrality by 2030. The family-owned business sustains collaborative relationships with the family farms that supply it with milk, offering stable prices and predictability in what can otherwise be a volatile marketplace. Learn about the Straus difference at StrausFamilyCreamery.com.
