Brothers David, Daniel, and Andrew Volleman all of Beta Nu Chapter at Texas A&M University with their non-fraternal brother, Ben Volleman, run their own dairy operation delivering its products straight to consumers using innovative and sustainable technology.
The farm was started by the brothers’ parents Frank and Annette Volleman, in 1993 with 50 cows, which is grown to what it is today, a 5,000-dairy cow operation run by the four Volleman brothers. Brother David said currently the cows are kept in a climate-controlled barn to keep them cool during the hot spells during the summer, which helps them produce more, good-quality milk.
The Volleman brothers’ parents had started the Volleman brand, and had always wanted to be close as a company to their consumers, but were not sure how to establish that kind of relationship. Brother Andrew became fascinated with the processing side of the dairy industry while in college and out of the combined efforts of the family, the Vollemans began bottling and selling their milk. ” We know we make great milk, so we wanted to get that in the hands of our consumers,” Brother Andrew said. The entire operation is family-run. The four Volleman brothers, and their families run different sectors of the farm. Ben manages the farm and grows the feed, Brother David and his wife manage the dairy and help keep the cows healthy, Brother Andrew and his wife run the creamery and Brother Daniel takes care of the calves.
The entire family’s involvement has led them to a successful business in dairy.
“We hope to leave a legacy for the future generations and love watching our kids get to experience the passion we have for the dairy industry.”
—Andrew Volleman, Beta Nu (Texas A&M)
The Vollemans also grow their own feed for their dairy operation. The farm grows two double crops of corn back-to-back. They also grow a lot of grass that allows the Volleman’s to not rely so much on alfalfa from other areas. This allows the family to trace and track their feed origins and make sure their dairy cows are getting everything they need to produce the best quality milk for their customers, while also maintaining their health.
The Volleman brothers noted that some of their current struggles are water, labor and supply chain issues. Texas, as well as other parts of the U.S. have struggled with a heatwave that has drained many water sources, making it difficult for the Volleman’s and other farmers to water crops and their cattle. The brothers mentioned that labor was hard to find, as it is for many farmers, due to the conditions they work in, and the lack of passion. The Volleman family prides themselves on their passion for dairy farming and look for that in people they hire to help on the farm. Lastly, the supply chain issues, starting with the COVID-19 pandemic, have been difficult to navigate, but the Volleman family has worked hard to make sure their farm and products are taken great care of.
The Vollemans work diligently to make sure that their brand has a deep relationship with their customers through the care they take in making their products. Through these relationships, the Volleman brand will last for many years to come.
