If you’ve tucked into a bowl of Hood ice cream or a tub of some Heluva Good French onion dip lately, you’ve been supporting a local business — sort of.
HP Hood, Heluva Good’s parent company, has been based in Lynnfield, by way of corporate office, since 2007. The company does not manufacture any of its products in town, and was founded in Charlestown in the 19th century, but planted roots in Lynnfield a decade and a half ago. Today, HP Hood’s corporate offices are located in 6 Kimball Lane, an office complex that also hosts several
real-estate agencies.
But, that local connection doesn’t seem to have paid off in a spike in sales in town.
“While we can’t say that sales in Lynnfield are higher than anticipated, the Hood brand is one of the most recognizable brands in New England,” said Sarah Barow, senior director of communications for HP Hood. “We know fan favorites like Hoodsie cups, Brigham’s ice cream, Hood milk, and more owe their popularity to the loyalty of generations of families in Lynnfield and Massachusetts (and beyond!).”
The company does produce some of its products in the greater New England area, with manufacturing plants located in Concord, N.H.; Agawam, Mass.; Suffield, Conn.; Portland, Maine; and Barre, Vt.
Hood began as a New England-based dairy company when it was founded by Harvey Perley Hood in 1846. At the time, the company placed a focus on “providing products of the highest quality.”
“Today, Hood maintains that priority on quality and innovation, and it has been the driving force behind many of the company’s major milestones,” Barow said.
The company was purchased by the Kaneb family, which oversaw its expansion from New England local to national manufacturer, in 1995.
So next time you’re downing an ice-cold glass of Hood milk to go with your chocolate chip cookies, consider that in one way or another, that milk is coming from your own backyard.
