Borden brand is back in Ohio

Elsie the Cow and the iconic Borden dairy brand are moo-ving back into the Buckeye State after a 24-year absence, the privately held Dallas company announced in a news release Wednesday.

The label's reintroduction began in school cafeterias across the state this past academic year, the company said, and it will be distributed to retailers Marc’s, Dave’s Markets, Hometown Markets, Simon’s Grocery, Apples, Circle K, Walgreens, CVS, Big Lots, Menards, CFM, Seven Eleven, True North, Pilot and hundreds of independent convenience stores and gas stations.

Borden, which owns and operates the Dairymens brand, employs about 350 people in Ohio — with plants in Cleveland and Cincinnati. A company spokeswoman told the Beacon Journal the Dairymens label will be phased out in favor of the new Borden branding, but some Dairymens products will continue to be available.

The company, founded in 1857 and once headquartered in Columbus, left the state after an ownership change in 1995. Borden used to operate a dairy on Grant Street in Akron. Results from a Cooper Roberts Research survey indicate that more than 80 percent of consumers are still aware of the Borden brand.

Borden also has refreshed the look of its Elsie the Cow mascot, which was introduced in 1936 and was named one of the top 10 advertising icons of the 20th century by AdAge. Borden said Elsie's visibility will increase this summer on local television ads, truck wraps, in-store displays, mailed coupons and at events such as the Ohio State Fair.

“Ohio played a significant role in Borden’s history, so we are overjoyed to return and receive such incredible support from the community,” Chief Executive Officer Tony Sarsam said. “We look forward to winning Ohioans back with our tasty and wholesome products.”

Borden operates 13 milk processing plants and nearly 100 branches across the United States, producing and distributing nearly 500 million gallons of milk annually.