It’s the Dawn of a New Age for the Milkman : Granada Hills Tradesman Views His Job as the Cream of the Crop

Crisscrossing the San Fernando Valley during the small hours of the morning, Dave Perry represents a fading institution of suburban America: the milkman.

There aren’t too many milkmen around these days. Like Perry’s boxy, 1969 milk truck, the profession is close to extinction.

Perry, 26, works for the Alta-Dena Dairy Co., one of only two dairies still offering home delivery to Valley residents. (The other is the Carnation Co.) About a decade ago, no fewer than 19 companies delivered milk and eggs in the area, according to John Steuve, retail sales manager at Alta-Dena.

Milkmen now provide services to 2% of the nation’s households, according to Silvio Capponi of the U.S. Department of Agriculture; 23 years ago, about 30% of homes paid for dairy deliveries.

“You can thank the supermarket for that,” Steuve said. “Smaller dairies with home deliveries have been going out of business left and right. They just can’t compete with huge supermarkets popping up everywhere which have smaller costs per volume.”

Perry, a Granada Hills resident, said he loves his job, which begins at 3:30 a.m. and ends at 8 a.m. “It allows me to be my own boss. I load my truck, and away I go. You also get the days to yourself. I’m working while you’re sleeping.” He has 300 homes on his weekly route.

He does not seem too concerned about losing his job because of decreasing demand for milkmen. “We’re coming back,” he said.

Steuve agreed. Alta-Dena Dairy has added 18 300-customer routes in the last three years, and the company bought 20 new milk trucks this year. Although much of his company’s expansion involves taking over routes of other firms going out of the business, demographic trends also are a factor, he said.

With an increasing number of two-paycheck families, “the convenience of the milkman is becoming more attractive,” he said. “Who wants to spend half an hour going out to buy some milk? Time at home is more important, since most people have less of it. It’s nice to know the milk will be on your porch when you wake up.”