From Dairy Legacy to Plant-Based Pioneer: The Elmhurst 1925 Story
What if one of the last family dairy brands in New York decided the future of milk wasn’t dairy at all?
Photo: Elmhurst 1925
That’s the story behind Elmhurst 1925. After closing his family’s 90-year dairy business in 2016, owner Henry Schwartz reopened the brand in 2017 as an innovative plant-based milk company. Instead of clinging to the past, Elmhurst leaned into changing consumer habits, environmental realities and a smarter approach to nutrition.
Powered by a patented HydroRelease™ method that uses just water to unlock the natural nutrition of grains, nuts and seeds, Elmhurst delivers clean-label plant milks without gums, oils or unnecessary additives. And that’s what makes them a Seeing Green Solutionist of the Day.
(story continues below)
A Full Pour of Plant-Based Options
Elmhurst is far more than a single oat milk on the shelf. The lineup includes plant milks made from oats, almonds, cashews and more, alongside barista editions designed for silky pours and café-level foam at home. They also offer flavored varieties, latte bases, creamers like Brown Sugar Oat, and even plant-based sour cream.
Whether you are building a better morning coffee routine, looking for a dairy-free swap in recipes, or simply trying to clean up what goes into your glass, Elmhurst has created options that feel premium but still approachable. This is plant milk for everyday life, not just for niche dietary corners.
A Cleaner Footprint, By Design
Moving from dairy to plants carries clear environmental implications. Plant-based milks typically require less land, less water and generate fewer greenhouse gas emissions than traditional dairy. By reimagining “milk” itself, Elmhurst is participating in a broader shift toward lighter-impact food systems.
Photo: Elmhurst 1925
But the environmental story goes beyond category. All Elmhurst products are made in Elma, New York. They are 100% plant-based, Non-GMO, gluten-free, kosher and certified Glyphosate Residue-Free for their oat products. The brand also avoids seed oils, gums and emulsifiers, relying instead on their HydroRelease™ process to maintain texture and nutrition. Simpler ingredient decks mean fewer processing steps and fewer additives making their way into homes and waterways.
Simple Ingredients, Better Nutrition
Elmhurst’s HydroRelease™ method is central to both its nutrition and its clean label. Using only water, the process separates and then recombines the natural components of oats, almonds or cashews, preserving more of the original ingredient’s nutrition without needing thickeners or fillers.
Take their Unsweetened Oat Milk. It contains just three ingredients: filtered water, whole grain oats and salt. Up to 20 grams of wholegrain oats go into every serving. That means naturally occurring fiber, including beta-glucan, which can support gut health and healthy cholesterol levels. Their almond milk is similarly streamlined, crafted with just almonds and water, and made with more nuts than many competitors, delivering creaminess the old-fashioned way.
For consumers reading labels more closely, avoiding gums and seed oils, or managing lactose intolerance or gluten sensitivity, Elmhurst offers a plant-based option that does not feel like a compromise.
From Dairy Roots to Plant-Based Innovation
Photo: Elmhurst 1925
There is something quietly powerful about a legacy dairy family deciding to evolve. Elmhurst did not just tweak packaging or offset emissions. It changed the product entirely. In a world where food systems are under pressure from climate change, land use and shifting health priorities, that kind of pivot signals a broader transition underway.
For anyone experimenting with plant-based living, upgrading their coffee routine, or simply looking for fewer ingredients in their fridge, Elmhurst 1925 makes it easier to make the switch without sacrificing taste or performance.