To make way for the Babcock Hall remodel, the dairy plant had to shut down production for more than three years. Fortunately, a large inventory and contracts with other manufacturers allowed limited varieties of ice cream and cheeses to be available during that time. Even so, it’s been a long wait for the Babcock Dairy faithful.

But good news has arrived: In-house production is scheduled to resume in spring, and it will eventually bring back the full array of Babcock Dairy products. Ice cream flavors not seen for some time will once again fill the freezers at the Babcock Dairy Store, a favorite haunt of generations of Badgers. And the familiar products will boast the same great taste — but in a whole new package. That’s because, to mark this new era of dairy production on campus, Babcock Dairy operations is releasing a new logo for its products.

Designing a logo isn’t an easy task. How do you encapsulate your brand’s identity in a singular image? To take on this challenge, the Babcock Dairy team worked closely with UW designers Danielle Lamberson Philipp and Kelly O’Loughlin.

Babcock has always offered signature dairy products on the UW campus. That connection is reflected in the new logo’s use of Badger red and white (UW’s primary colors) and the university’s name along the top. Icons representing the signature dairy products — cheese, ice cream, and milk — are prominently displayed above the word “Babcock,” emitting rays of light reminiscent of the university’s Numen Lumen seal.

Although the production facilities have received a well-deserved upgrade, the plant will keep presenting its traditional products along with some novel offerings. The original Babcock ice cream recipe was developed in 1951 when the hall was first built, and it hasn’t changed since. “Our ice cream is one of many products that makes us unique,” says store manager Kari Backes. “Customers keep coming back for the memories of our original, signature flavors.” As a nod to this original recipe, the logo includes the establishment date at the bottom, and the ice cream cone icon appears front and center.

A few dairy store products are already sporting the new logo, such as nut mixes, coffee bags, and mugs. The full transition will take place once renovations are complete and production resumes.

---

⊕ Back to the cover story, The (New) House That Dairy Built.

---

This article was posted in Cover Story, Features, Spring 2023 and tagged Babcock Dairy, Babcock Dairy Plant, Babcock Dairy Store, Babcock ice cream, branding, Dairy, Food science, Logo.