Stonyfield Whole-milk Yogurt now homogenized?

[BeagleMommy]

I recently purchased some Stonyfield plain, whole milk yogurt as I have done many times in the past. As I was opening it, I read the label on top (under the plastic lid), "We've stirred in the cream ...to make our creamiest, smoothest whole-milk yogurt ever. You're going to love it!"
Um, I'm NOT going to love the only consistently available non-homogenized dairy now homogenized! And in such a sneaky way. I could not read that portion of the label until after I purchased it. The rest of the packaging looks much the same as it always has. Now that I am studying the label, it does not say "cream top" as it used to. Is there any other explanation other than they are now homogenizing it? It doesn't smell bad, but the top of the yogurt in the container looks bubbly and nasty.
This container will be going back to Kroger.

Anyone else noticed this?

[Arduinna]

I can't even find non-homogenized plain whole milk yogurt since we moved. I ended up buying some starter and I'm going to make my own because I can get non-homogenized whole milk. In fact I just cultured some buttermilk with it.

[BeagleMommy]

I can only get non-homogenized whole milk sometimes which is why I was relying on the yogurt.

Of course, when spring comes, so does ample raw milk and homemade kefir!

[cristeen]

According to their website, they just switched. They're inviting customer comment, so go tell them how you feel.

[BeagleMommy]

Thanks, cristeen, I will!

[Owen'nZoe]

That's very disappointing. The cream on the top was the best part.

[heatheresc]

Yes, I noticed it too, and I'm so disappointed!  I loved the cream-top yogurts! =(

[Llyra]

This seriously annoys me.

[macandcheese]

Oh, come on! That really stinks :o(

[NettleTea]

I don't think that Seven Stars Farm yogurt does homogenization. Plus, it's low temp pasteurized.

http://www.sevenstarsfarm.com/

[la mamita]

http://www.browncowfarm.com/ still has non-homogenized whole milk yogurt. I saw the change today with the Stonyfield yogurt...

[NettleTea]

Originally Posted by la mamita 

http://www.browncowfarm.com/ still has non-homogenized whole milk yogurt.

Yes, I just used some Brown Cow last night. Lots of cream on top.

[Elizabeth2008]

 I buy Strauss which is not homogenized.  That sucks about Stonyfield.  Can't say i'm surprised

[Koalamom]

I am very disapointed.  Dh used to work for a stony field dairy farm and the amount that they were paid by SF was horrible and the farm had to close. 

[Elizabeth2008]

 I emailed them with a complaint and this was the response I got:

"Thank you for taking the time to contact us. We’re always happy to get
comments and questions from our yogurt lovers and are grateful when someone
takes the time to let us know what they think of our Company and products.

We appreciate your passion for the cream on top and you're not alone - ever
since we started, we’ve been hearing the debate: should we let that creamy
layer rise to the top or stir it in? It was always a tossup, and after 27
years of cream on top, we've decided to stir things up. The cream you love
is still there, only now the yogurt is smoother, creamier, and we think,
even more delicious. We appreciate what an amazingly loyal Stonyfield whole
milk yogurt buyer you are and we're sorry our new cup disappoints you. We
sincerely hope you'll continue to give us a try."

First of all, this is just such a sleazy corporate response.  They didn't address my question which was directly related to "homogenization"  They are claiming they are merely "stirring it up".  At least be honest and say that it's homogenized!  This is just about convenience for them - not wanting to have to source both homogenized and non-homogenized milk for different products, and about going after a target market that is too lazy to stir its yogurt (!) or too uninformed to know that "stirring it up means homogenized".

LAME.  Definitely never buying their products again.

 

[BeagleMommy]

This was the response I received:


"Thanks for contacting us with your concerns about the homogenized milk in
our whole-milk yogurts. Scientific research tells us homogenized milk is no
less healthy than unhomogenized milk.

In the 1970s, a researcher named Kurt Oster theorized that an increase in
coronary heart disease was caused by homogenized milk, which was introduced
in the 1930s and 1940s. Research done in the 1980s, however, refuted
Oster’s theory. If you’d like to read more about the topic, check out the
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and the Journal of Dairy Science.

Thanks again for contacting us, and please don’t hesitate to drop us
another line. We’d love to hear from you again.

Sincerely,

The folks at Stonyfield

Get free yogurt and green goods. Sign up at MyStonyfieldRewards.com

Clifford AJ, et al: Homogenized bovine milk xanthine oxidase: a critique of
the hypothesis relating to plasmalogen depletion and cardiovascular
disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 1983 Aug;38(2):327-32.

Deeth HC: Homogenized milk and atherosclerotic disease: a review. J Dairy
Sci. 1983 Jul;66(7):1419-35."


I wish I could get the other yogurts mentioned in this thread around here. I'll do without before I buy Stonyfield again!

[Llyra]

I got the same reply back as Elizabeth2008.

[NettleTea]

I've bought Stonyfield's yogurt before, but I never will again. I can't stand it when companies patronize their customers, lying to them.

[Koalamom]

Other dairys are lying too.  Our local vermont dairy company Cabot always says it was supporting local VT farms, and they were secretly buying milk from other states and it was supposed to be a state support company.  Errrrg.

[artemis33]

This applies to their YoBaby line as well  :(  I generally make or buy plain whole milk yogurt but I do get those as a treat for DD1 - a snack she can get for herself.  I went to buy some today and saw the same 'now it is creamier' line on most of the packs.  There were still some without that...the old kind...so I bought several packs today, but won't be buying from them anymore.  It is getting much harder to find non homogenized yogurt! 

When I visited my family in the midwest last fall, I was grateful to find the Stonyfield.  I figured that although it wasn't organic, it was better than most.  I guess no more  :(

I'll email them, too, though it sounds like they aren't all that concerned!

Maybe I'll start a thread about how to make our homemade yogurt *better*.....I get great milk (raw grass fed jersey) but my homemade yogurt isn't usually that tasty, which is why I end up shopping around.  Sorry for the tangent, but this is now on my mind.  :)