For Kevin Korbel, skills learned through the Dairy Experience and Leadership (DEAL) program directly translate to his daily life as an ice cream business owner and dairy farmhand. Kevin Korbel, of Lonsdale, Minnesota, grew up on his family’s sixth-generation farm and is a third-generation dairy farmer. Since his grandfather started the dairy in the late 1950s, the farm has been loyal to the Holstein breed, and they currently milk 36 cows in a tie stall barn.
For the Korbels, farming is a family affair. Kevin’s parents have farmed full-time since the 1980s, and Kevin and his two siblings have been highly involved in the dairy in some capacity. Kevin’s role involves morning milking, feeding cows, and fieldwork. He balances farm work with his nearly full-time job as the founder of Udder Buddies, an ice cream company. “Every day is a little different,” Kevin says, “and it’s great to have that variety.”
Kevin’s path to farmhand and business owner took many twists and turns along the way. A graduate of Minnesota State Mankato, Kevin majored in sports management and marketing, initially wanted to go into sports and business. But, after a few internships and jobs in other industries, Kevin started to miss the farm. Drawing on his experiences beyond the farm, he has gained a deeper appreciation for the vital role dairy farmers play. Today, he connects that industry knowledge to both the farm and Udder Buddies, strengthening his impact in each. When asked about his passion for dairy, he reflects, “At the end of the day, you feel like you’ve provided something meaningful to society.”
In 2022, Kevin was thinking of starting his own business. His friend and now business partner, Jamieson Lindquist, a third-generation viticulturist, brought up the idea of selling a value-added product from the farm. There was already a tight, niche market for milk and cheese, but what about ice cream? “Nobody hates ice cream!” said Kevin. With this idea in mind, the wheels started spinning, and the worst-case scenario was ending up with th best ice cream in the friend group. Kevin and Jamieson made their first batch of ice cream in December 2022, with his grandfather’s 1940s-era ice cream maker. Kevin brought fresh cream from the farm and a recipe from Google, and they made the worst ice cream they had ever tasted. Through trial and error, by batch four or five, they had started making some pretty good ice cream. They began making ice cream at the University of Minnesota Pilot Plant in Falcon Heights, Minnesota, in July 2023, perfecting their recipe and production. By utilizing the Pilot Plant, Kevin and Jamieson could keep input costs and risk low as they started the company.
Summer 2025 marks two years of operation. Udder Buddies now has an ice cream trailer, distributes ice cream, and serves ice cream at events. After two adventurous years, it is now nearly a full-time job. Udder Buddies can be found at farmers’ markets and private events. They hope to expand to include ice cream carts, in addition to the trailer. It has been said that the trailer has the best vanilla ice cream sold in scoops, sandwiches, and root beer floats. Udder Buddies makes only vanilla ice cream, and customers can add flavors on top. With an emphasis on local ingredients, the cookies for the ice cream sandwiches are made in Elko, Minnesota, and the cream for the ice cream is locally sourced.
Kevin is a recent participant in the DEAL program. DEAL, is an 18-month-long leadership program for young dairy farmers from across the Midwest Dairy region. The DEAL program explores topics such as dairy promotion, social media, and the importance of sharing the dairy story. For Kevin, a highlight of the program was the opportunity to attend conferences across the country. His cohort traveled to Nashville for a meeting and farm tour, to Chicago for additional meetings and tours, and to Iowa for their final session, which coincided with the Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) meeting. There, participants gained deeper insight into checkoff and the broader dairy industry. “The DEAL program was a cool experience, and a good chance to experience what other farms do.” One of Kevin’s biggest takeaways from DEAL is that “if you don’t tell your story, someone else will. You want to make sure your story is told correctly.”
Reflecting on the past two years as business owners, Kevin advises, “start small and slowly grow. Keep connections going.” One of Kevin’s favorite parts of operating Udder Buddies is seeing people enjoying their ice cream at events. “It’s a fun job, and a fun journey. I wouldn’t change a thing,” Kevin remarks. In the future, Udder Buddies hopes to continue telling the dairy story and expand more on the background of the business and the industry through marketing. They also hope to partner more with dairy organizations to share the story of dairy with consumers. They have just applied to be at the Minnesota State Fair in 2026 and are looking forward to growing the company.
To learn more about Udder Buddies ice cream, go to udderbuddiesmn.com, email, call, or visit their Facebook.