What Is The Hilmar Way?
A Shared Commitment to People, Quality and Progress
In the dairy industry, success depends on trust, consistency and the ability to adapt. At Hilmar, we believe those strengths come from knowing who we are and staying grounded in the values that have shaped us from the very beginning. We call this The Hilmar Way — a mindset that guides the way we work, how we treat people and how we contribute to the communities and industries we serve.
The Hilmar Way is not a slogan. It’s a reflection of our purpose, our culture and our belief that real progress happens when people come together with integrity and shared intention. It is what united us as one community, the motivation behind our everyday actions and the lens through which we make decisions and move forward together.
A Purpose Rooted in People and Possibility
Our purpose is simple and sincere:
Improving Lives together.
We believe dairy is a force for good. It nourishes families, supports local economies and fuels innovation across the global food system. Whether we’re helping customers develop new products, partnering with farmers and suppliers or investing in community programs, we use the power and promise of dairy to improve the lives of everyone we touch.
This purpose keeps us grounded. It reminds us that our success is tied to the well‑being of the people around us — our employees, our neighbors and our partners across the world.
A Vision Built on Excellence at Scale
Our vision is clear:
To be the best in the world at efficiently producing functional cheese and whey ingredients at scale.
We pursue this vision with humility and determination. We focus on doing good work with good people to produce something of real value. Excellence is not a finish line. It’s a daily commitment to learning, improving and refining our craft every day. Our teams work hard to master the science, engineering and care required to deliver consistent, high‑quality ingredients that help our customers succeed.
When we raise the bar, our customers benefit. When our customers benefit, our communities and our industry grow stronger. In this way, every improvement we make inside Hilmar creates a ripple of value well beyond our doors.
Values That Shape How We Work
Teamwork
We accomplish more when we support one another. Collaboration strengthens our culture, sparks new ideas and helps us solve problems with creativity and care.
Integrity
We believe in honesty, humility, responsibility and sustainability. Trust is earned through transparency and consistent actions.
Excellence
We are passionate about quality in everything we do. We strive to exceed expectations without cutting corners because our customers and communities depend on us to get it right.
Improvement
We look for better ways to operate, better ways to serve and better ways to contribute to the world around us. Small, steady improvements add up to meaningful change.
Relationship
We invest in long‑term relationships with customers, suppliers, employees and neighbors. Strong relationships build strong communities and a resilient industry.
How We Work Toward Shared Success
These values are not just internal principles. They are signals to our partners about what they can expect when they work with Hilmar. The Hilmar Way comes to life through three commitments that guide our efforts every day.
Three Commitments
Cultivate an Exceptional Culture
We want Hilmar to be a place where people feel respected, supported and proud of the work they do. A strong culture helps us attract great people and deliver consistent results. At the heart of this culture there are six foundations: Belong, Grow, Care, Lead, Perform and Empower. These principles guide how we show up for one another and how we bring The Hilmar Way to life each day.
Set the Standard in Operational Excellence
We work hard to be a reliable partner by focusing on safety, quality and continuous improvement. Our goal is to be the benchmark for world‑class dairy processing, using data, innovation and disciplined processes to deliver consistent and dependable results.
Wow the Customer
We strive to understand our customers’ needs and deliver solutions that help them succeed. From product performance to service and support, we aim to exceed expectations in ways that are meaningful, measurable and lasting.
Why The Hilmar Way Matters
We share The Hilmar Way openly because it reflects the kind of company we strive to be every day — steady, dependable and committed to doing what’s right. Our neighbors, partners and customers deserve to know what we stand for and how we approach our work.
By staying true to our purpose and values, we seek to strengthen local economies and contribute to a more resilient global food system. The Hilmar Way is not about being perfect. It’s about showing up with integrity, learning from every experience and working together to achieve our purpose of Improving Lives Together.
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