Close Menu
Professor Stephen Babcock with his centrifuge machine. Photo courtesy of UW Digital Archives.

About Us

The Babcock Dairy Plant and Store have a long and rich history on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus since 1951. They are named after Stephen Moulton Babcock, a UW researcher in the department of Agricultural Chemistry and the inventor of the first reliable butterfat content milk test (1890). He also worked alongside UW bacteriologist Harry L. Russell to develop the cold-curing process for ripening cheese (1897).

By producing signature products for the university and community, the Plant and Dairy Store help support the UW Food Science Department’s mission of research, teaching and outreach.

Most know Babcock Hall for its ice cream, but the plant also produces award-winning cheeses and bottles locally produced milk. Please stop by the Dairy Store at 1605 Linden Drive in Madison, Wisconsin, to enjoy our dairy specialties, as well as breakfast and lunch items!


Meet Our Team

Our team of full-time staff and student workers are the sweet, driving force behind everything we do at Babcock.