A Sweet Addition

A SWEET ADDITION TO ARIZONA AGRICULTURE

BY AMBER MORIN

A Sweet Addition to Arizona Agriculture “Life is short, make it sweet,” the lyrics from the Old Dominion song are what came to mind when I first heard about Capream Dairy, a goat dairy in Prescott, AZ. Why those lyrics? Capream Dairy doesn’t just raise goats for milk. They are making gelato, which I had the privilege of tasting on location and I must admit that the mint was my favorite, even over chocolate! To date, Capream Dairy is one of only a handful of goat dairies in the nation to make gelato and is the first in Arizona to do so. The dairy is an entrepreneurial venture of three hard-working visionaries and friends Gary Carder, Gregory O’Reilly, and Gerald Rogers. Gary first brought two goats to his Prescott property in 2009, but this story really begins in his childhood when he found out he was not able to drink cow milk. His neighbors in Indiana had goats, so dairy wasn’t eliminated from his diet. However, it wasn’t until he tasted the milk from Swiss Oberhasli goats that he found the breed which produced the, “best tasting milk.” Gary raises the same breed on his farm today and selectively breeds the herd for their milk’s nutritional profile and flavor. Capream’s goat milk is perfect for gelato because it is naturally low in fat. Per the Food and Drug Administration’s guidelines, to use the label ice cream, frozen desserts must contain at least 10 percent butterfat and a typical ice cream usually has between 14-24 percent fat or more. Meanwhile, gelato includes only about 4 to 9 percent butterfat which is health sensitive and allows flavors to emerge more easily. Gary’s proprietary Oberhasli goats produce milk with about a 2.8 percent fat profile, making it ideal for gelato and consumer health. Capream milk also contains the A2 casein protein, which allows some people that struggle to digest cow milk to successfully enjoy goat dairy products such as Capream’s gelato. A2 milk, like Capream, is in is high global demand, as it is lactoseintolerant friendly and hypo-allergenic, so the prospects for growth are excellent!

Gregory O’Reilly came on the Capream scene a few years ago, and brings a wealth of experience in international agribusiness, environmental innovation, marketing, and scaling. As a venture development strategist for the company, he handles most of the business outreach and expansion. Gerald Rogers, in my view, might have the most fun job, as he is the chief creative in the kitchen. He attended Penn State’s Ice Cream Short Course, which is the oldest, best-known, and largest educational program dealing with the science and technology of ice cream. The course covers everything from flavor, to quality control, sales, and management.

There were several things that stood out to me about all three of these men and their vision for their business growth and current management. Like all good livestock managers, they put a high value on the breed of goat they have chosen and are very selective about the traits for which they are breeding. The team is acutely aware that their products are directly tied to the herd’s genetics and the quality of feed fed. Secondly, they prioritize food safety, as all food producers should. They utilize the pasteurization process, and while raw milk is all the rage for some, product safety will not be jeopardized at Capream Dairy. Third, they have an intense work ethic. All three team members help in every step of the dairy from feeding, milking, pasteurizing, product development, branding, product delivery and in-store demos.

Goat milk is one of the most widely consumed dairy products in the world, and Capream Dairy with their 180 head herd, hopes to help the U.S. join the rest of the world. As they continue to grow the herd and expand their business, they will be looking for reliable labor, financing sources and investment partners, efficient milking technologies and continual product development, although, their mint gelato will probably always be my favorite!

If you are wondering where you can find your own pint of Capream Dairy gelato, milk, or cheese, look no further than your local grocers in Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott, and Flagstaff. Check Capream Dairy out at Capream.com for more details to find a store near you!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Amber Morin, Southeastern Arizona Rancher, Freelance Writer, and Arizona Farm Bureau Staff