We are saddened to share the passing of co-founder and probiotic pioneer, Chuck Kesey.
Guided by curiosity, compassion, and an open mind, Chuck and his wife, Sue, built Springfield Creamery into a family business that would help transform the way we think about food. He was the inventive “mad scientist” with a wide, warm grin who was always trying something new. Together, they built not just a business, but a movement based in integrity, innovation, and family.
In 1970, Chuck’s curiosity and scientific mind led to a breakthrough that would change the food industry – creating the first commercial yogurt in the United States to contain live probiotics. Nancy’s Yogurt was born, and so was the
modern probiotic foods category. Over the decades, Chuck remained the Creamery’s unofficial “Keeper of the Culture.” He personally taste-tested each batch of yogurt for over 50 years, refusing to rely solely on pH meters. A
lifelong believer in learning and discovery, Chuck often said that his greatest satisfaction came from “feeding generations of people good, healthy food.” And they will continue to do just that.
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