Last updated on June 13th, 2024
Munroe Dairy is the last dairy in Rhode Island to offer delivery service since Christiansen’s Dairy closed on March 10.
Since it was established in 1881, East Providence-based Munroe Dairy offers hundreds of products, in addition to its milk products, that it delivers to consumers’ homes on a weekly basis in Rhode Island and beyond. Many of those products are locally made by small businesses. All processing and bottling is done at the plant and has been for the past 137 years.
“The concept of the old-fashioned milkman had been on the decline,” said Munroe Dairy President Rob Armstrong. “But the tides are turning, and we’re experiencing growth in recent years. Reusable glass bottles, high-quality milk and exceptional service are desired by more and more consumers. Dairies may have been things of the past, but I firmly believe they are also our future.”
The success of the company has been the commitment to home delivery. Many products are not available in any store, and the dairy supports local food suppliers whenever possible. The company believes that it can better control the product if it is handled by delivery personnel in dairy trucks. Milk comes from local, family-owned farms and is not adulterated with additives, stabilizer or synthetics. The milk is also not ultra-pasteurized. The less it is handled and processed, the better the taste and the more nutritious for the consumer.
“We believe in offering local products whenever possible,” Armstrong said. “We want to support our small neighboring businesses, which provide the freshest products.”
The company delivers throughout Rhode Island, in many Massachusetts towns and to parts of Connecticut.
In 1881, A.B. Munroe Dairy was founded by Alfred B. Munroe and was later purchased in 1936. The dairy has always been at its present location on Brow Street in East Providence, Rhode Island. Since the beginning, Munroe Dairy has provided home delivery. In the early years, the dairy may have supplied a few local stores but home delivery, direct-to-your-door service, has been the main focus of the operation.
