NORWICH, Vt. (WCAX) – The Norwich Farm Foundation, home to the Norwich Farm Creamery, has been listed for sale. The owners now face an uncertain future.
The Norwich Farm Foundation back in 2022 closed on their historic property with big plans to keep the creamery in the community for generations to come. But two years later, it appears that goal is coming up short.
“You know, it is hard for us to see a place this valuable and this capable go in the open market,” said Chris Gray, who along with his wife, have operated the Norwich Farm Creamery since 2015.
After a partnership with the Vermont Technical College fell apart, a group of local residents formed the Norwich Farm Foundation and eventually bought the property for just over a million dollars. Revenue from the business was supposed to pay the bills, but it has just not been enough.
“It’s just money, unfortunately,” Gray said. He says debt on the property and annual taxes, along with stagnant fundraising efforts made scaling up impossible. “It’s 2024, I can’t believe we haven’t understood this yet. In Vermont — that if you put Ag into real estate market — neither the farm or the farmers can make it.”
Laura Ginsburg with the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, says operating a profitable small creamery can be difficult. “You have to grow your sales to get more efficient to earn more money. But in order to do that, you need to spend more time away from the creamery processing product that you need to grow your sales,” she said. “There are only some many hours in the day. There is only so much money people are willing to pay for certain dairy products.”
The creamery’s milk, cheese, and pudding products sell out every week. Grays says they are exploring other potential partnerships to keep the business afloat. “People love our stuff and we just want to make more of it for them and feed more people and keep this place a working farm,” he said.
Foundation officials did not immediately respond to calls for comment. The property is currently listed for a little less than $1.3 million.
In the meantime, the creamery every day continues to churn out the value-added dairy products they are famous for.