Springfield Creamery Celebrates 60 Years of "Culture"

KLCC | By Anni Katz

Published February 18, 2021 at 6:16 AM PST

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CEO of Springfield Creamery, Sue Kesey

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Springfield Creamery just celebrated 60 years in business. The maker of Nancy’s Probiotic Foods was founded by Sue and Chuck Kesey in 1960.

Sue, now the company’s CEO, says her husband came by dairy honestly: Chuck and his brother Ken (yes, that Ken!) grew up in creameries, mostly in Colorado.

When it was time for college, Chuck enrolled in the Dairy Sciences program at Oregon State University. It was there that he learned about an obscure ingredient that’s just now having its moment:

Sue Kesey, CEO of Springfield Creamery, says the relationship between the company, the Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia continued for decades. And, she says Ken Kesey loved the kefirs.

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Anni Katz

Born and raised in Eugene, Anni started at KLCC in 2000 as a reporter and co-host of Northwest Passage. After graduating from the University of Oregon, Anni moved to New York City. She worked in education for several years before returning to her true love, journalism. Anni co-founded and co-hosted Dailysonic, a narrative-based news podcast. She interned at WNYC's On The Media, then becoming WNYC's assistant producer of Morning Edition.

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