Founder Carl Lindner Sr. Number of locations 210 Type of business Privately held | Owner Lindner Family CEO Brad Lindner (1998–) Founded 1938 | |
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Industry Dairy Products, Convenience Stores Area served Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana Products Homemade Brand Ice Cream Profiles | ||
United dairy farmers
United Dairy Farmers (UDF) is an American chain of shops offering ice cream and other dairy products started by Carl Lindner, Sr. and his children, Carl, Jr., Robert, Richard and Dorothy, in 1938. Almost as soon as they started operations, the Lindners began work on building a dairy store. Carl, Sr. believed that if he could sell milk through his own store, he would not have to deal with delivery middlemen and thus be able to pass the resulting savings on to his customers. The first United Dairy Farmers store, at 3955 Main Avenue (now Montgomery Road) in Norwood, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati, opened on May 8, 1940.
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In 1982, at the urging of sons Brad and Jeff, UDF debuted Homemade Brand Premium Ice Cream.
Today, the chain has stores throughout the Greater Cincinnati area as well as Dayton, Cleveland, and Columbus. Many UDF stores also operate a gas station and a convenience store. Since 2001, many locations have sold gasoline under the Mobil brand, but are now supplying their own fuels via purchasing through independent wholesalers.