Braum’s Ice Cream and Dairy Stores…just the name conjures up visions of scrumptious ice cream, giant hamburgers, dairy fresh milk, fresh baked goods, even meats, fruits and vegetables. So what’s the story behind Braum’s? Well, we can sum it up with two words “vertical integration”. Basically it means that we believe that if you want something done right…you do it yourself. A concept that Founders, Bill and Mary Braum and their children are proud of.
Well, it actually began over three decades before Peter Pan Ice Cream Stores when in 1933 Bill Braum’s father, Henry H. Braum, purchased a small butter processing plant located in his hometown of Emporia, Kansas. Throughout his life, son, Bill Braum worked with his father learning, growing and expanding his family’s ice cream and dairy business – a business that eventually became “Peter Pan Ice Cream Stores” named after the local park in Emporia. But there is so much more to know. Follow us through 80 years of history – a history as rich and flavorful as the ice cream itself.
The very heart of the Braum operation is the Braum Family Farm located in Tuttle, Oklahoma. This 10,000 acre working family farm is home to Braum’s private dairy herd, milk barn, processing plant, bakery and warehouse distribution facility, truck maintenance facility, and water treatment plant.
The Braum’s Dairy isn’t your “typical” dairy. As a matter of fact it’s one of the largest dairy operations in the world and a showplace in the industry. Each day, we’re milking thousands of cows an hour, providing enough fresh raw milk for over one million glasses!
We’re the only major ice cream maker in the country to milk our own cows. This milk is used in our ice cream, bottled milk and other dairy products. And because Braum’s milk comes from our private dairy herd we know what goes into it and what doesn’t. We don’t use any growth hormones to stimulate milk production and we never add antibiotics to their feed. Braum’s dairy herd enjoys a 100% vegetarian diet including alfalfa hay, cottonseed and corn, with the majority of the feed grown right on our farm.
The fresh raw milk is transported several times a day for processing to the Braum’s Processing Plant located right across the pond. It’s here at Braum’s 260,000 square foot Processing Plant where we make and process milk, ice cream, yogurt, dips, cottage cheese, sour cream and other dairy products. It takes less than 36 hours from the time the cow is milked until it arrives at your neighborhood store. And, thanks to the unique way we process our Fat Free and Low Fat Milks, it’s better for you than grocery store brands with up to 50 percent more calcium, protein, and other essential vitamins and nutrients.
Thanks to the unique way we process our Fat Free and Low Fat Milks, our milk is better for you than grocery store brands with up to 50 percent more calcium, protein, and other essential vitamins and nutrients. Using an “MVR” (Mechanical Vapor Recompressor) evaporator, we remove part of the milk’s natural water. This fortifies and condenses the milk naturally, automatically raising the level of nutrients by up to 50%! And because they’re naturally concentrated, they actually taste better than grocery store brands because they’re richer and thicker.
Here’s another way of saying it. It takes 3 – half gallons of regular unconcentrated fat free milk to make TWO half gallons of Braum’s Concentrated Fat Free Milk. This means that through processing we remove an entire half gallon of natural water! We know of no other dairy to fortify their milk this way. That’s because this type of processing system cuts the milk volume by 1/3, and is a much harder, more expensive process. So rather than taking the time, effort and expense to naturally fortify their milk, some dairy companies just add powdered milk or tri-calcium phosphate to the milk to thicken it and raise the nutrient levels. No wonder fat free milk has gotten a bad reputation over the years!
Everyday at the Braum’s Bakery we’re busy making cookies, breads, ice cream cones, cinnamon rolls and more just for our neighborhood stores. Our bakery is open 24 hours a day – seven days a week! It’s midnight and while most of you are sleeping we’re just starting our day….mixing, baking and packaging all those delicious baked goods! Typically what we bake today will be delivered to your neighborhood store tomorrow.
Everything a store needs from ice cream to paper goods is delivered on our fleet of delivery trucks. These trucks are on the road 363 days a year making a fresh delivery to your neighborhood store every other day.
Bill and Mary Braum and their family own and operate almost 300 stores throughout five states – Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas, Missouri, and Arkansas. All stores are located within a 300-mile radius of the Braum Family Farm. Open seven days a week, each store is like “three stores in one” with a Grill, Old Fashioned Ice Cream Fountain, and a Fresh Market Grocery.
About this location:
When you’re craving a burger – not just any hamburger will do. Stop by and have a Braum’s bacon cheeseburger. We are located Just west of Interstate 49 on Highway 71.