WINTER 2025
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
INSIDE THIS ISSUE OPERATIONS APPRECIATION WEEK SHAMROCK FOODSERVICE WAREHOUSE GRAND OPENINGS EARLY SHAMROCK STORIES
From the McClelland Family 2025 HOLIDAY MESSAGE
From the family kitchen where we are baking candy cane cookies and gingerbread men (and sometimes gingerbread cows) to the sound of A Charlie Brown Christmas – Nollaig shona dhuit, an Irish “happy Christmas to all.”
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An Irish Blessing
May peace and plenty be the first to lift the latch on your door, and may happiness be guided to your home by the candle of Christmas.
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Let us be humble in heart and grateful in Spirit in this joyous season. To all our extended Shamrock Family, a very Merry Christmas. Kent, Celia, Devon, Chandra, Kera, Kyle, Poppy, and Robin
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IN THIS ISSUE Early Shamrock Stories
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Operations Appreciation Week
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Developing Leaders Across Shamrock
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Updates from Across the West 10 EXPO2025 14 Shamrock Foodservice Warehouse 16 IFDA Competition 18 Manufacturing 19 Shamrock Farms 20 In the Community 22 Total Wellbeing 23
WHERE’S ROXIE?
Roxie is hiding all throughout Shamrock News!
Can you find her in 5 different places? ANSWERS ON PAGE 23
Shamrock News is a publication developed by associate article and photo submissions. The staff has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information presented within its publication. Due to the large amount of participation, we may not catch an error or two, and we apologize. The opinions and recommendations expressed by individual authors within this magazine are not necessarily those of the Shamrock News staff. We appreciate any feedback you may have, and will do our best to provide you with an entertaining and educational magazine.
– READER FEEDBACK – shamrocknews@shamrockfoods.com
The Shamrock News is published several times throughout the year. For more updates from Shamrock and our associate family, please visit The Shamrock Dish.
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EARLY SHAMROCK STORIES SETTLING IN TUCSON After returning from service in the U.S. Army, W.T. McClelland put down roots in Tucson, Arizona. His heart, however, remained in Ireland with Winifred Parker and he engaged in a long-distance courtship with her across the Atlantic Ocean. Winifred traveled with her brother, Bill Parker, to Arizona in December 1920. Arriving the day after Christmas, Winnie and W.T. were married the following day, and later became affectionately known as Mr. and Mrs. Mac.
Young Frances (left) and young Norman (below).
GROWING UP SHAMROCK Frances McClelland, the eldest of the second generation, was born in 1923, nearly one year after her parents founded the dairy. At age 3, she requested a brother and Norman arrived in 1927. Frances and Norman grew up on the farm, playing in the fields and riding the dairy cows, careful to stay away from the bulls. They’d stay outside until dinnertime and shared all the household chores equally. As they grew, so did their responsibilities for the dairy. W.T. and Winifred McClelland
MR. MAC COIN TOSS Shamrock is known for being one of the first dairies to implement the pasteurization process, but few realize why. Mr. Mac flipped a coin with his friend Henry Peterson, who owned Holstein Dairy. The loser had to purchase the pasteurizer and pasteurize all the milk for both dairies. Mr. Mac lost the coin toss but won in the long run.
NAMING SHAMROCK In 1922, Winnie’s mother, Margaret Jane Wright, suggested the name Shamrock for the dairy and Mr. Mac agreed that the Irish national symbol was the perfect choice. Each of the three leaves represented something important within the company – the officers and administration,
W.T. McClelland – “Mr. Mac”
THE ORIGINAL CHOCOLATE CHIP ICE CREAM A Shamrock Ice Cream associate named Joe Williams felt he really goofed one day after accidentally pouring chocolate coating for Eskimo Pie Ice Cream Bars into a batch of vanilla ice cream. The final product featured thin chocolate flakes. While a big mistake in Joe’s mind, the product ended up selling very well at the local drug store. Little did Joe know what excellence he had tapped into, creating an early version of Chocolate Chip ice cream!
the associates, and the customers. Each leaf needs the other to complete the ideal of a rewarding enterprise and it is the harmony represented by all three leaves that forms the Shamrock image.
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20 COWS AND A MODEL T DELIVERY TRUCK
THE FIRST SHAMROCK NEWS EDITION NORMAN P. McCLELLAND
Shamrock News is no longer a dream but a reality, following many months of planning and hard work. Our first issue comes to you and your family with my best wishes for joy and happiness at this Christmas Season. I hope you will enjoy reading about “what’s happening” in our Shamrock organization in this issue and those that follow. You will meet many old friends and some newcomers that make up our wonderful Shamrock family throughout the State of Arizona. Ours is a growing and expanding company because we have with us the best people in the dairy and institutional food business. Whatever successes have been achieved are because of your loyalty and dedication to Shamrock. The opportunities for our corporate expansion are numerous and we have growth plans for this year and for the next three to five years. Through Shamrock News we’ll keep you informed. Please accept my sincere thanks for your help in a job well done. Norman P. McClelland The First Shamrock News, published in the Holiday Season of 1969.
Mr. Mac’s obituary, published in 1968.
A HANDSHAKE DEAL They say business used to be done with honor and a handshake, and that is true at Shamrock. When Shamrock decided to get into the foodservice business, they agreed to purchase Dora Brothers Distributing Company in Globe, Arizona. The attorneys were taking too long for the owners’ liking, so on January 1, 1966, Norman and Joe Dora just shook hands and went ahead with the deal – without a contract. The actual written agreement wasn’t signed for another six weeks, but it all worked out fine for both sides. PACK A LUNCH In 2001, when faced with challenges while building a new automated warehouse, Norman (74 years old at the time) and Kent were in that warehouse every single day for seven months working 16 to 20 hours a day. Many people would
give up. Not the McClellands. Day in and day out, they’d get right back to it and give 100 percent. No wonder it’s been said that if anyone wants to wait for the McClelland family to give up on something, they better pack a lunch, because they’re going to be waiting a while. A GRAND SLAM PARTNERSHIP In 1998, Jerry Colangelo successfully brought professional baseball to the Valley with the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League West Division and Shamrock Farms signed on as an official sponsor. One year later, Arizona Diamondbacks fan Gylene Hoyle defied all odds by winning $1 million in the Shamrock Farms Grand Slam Sundae ice cream promotion by choosing Jay Bell to hit a grand slam in the 6th inning. The odds of this happening were 1 in 116 seasons.
Norman McClelland
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OPERATIONS APPRECIATION WEEK 2025 Every year, Operations Appreciation Week is a powerful reminder of the people who keep Shamrock running strong. Across every branch, teams came together to recognize our drivers, warehouse, manufacturing, maintenance, and support associates whose hard work and reliability make our standard of operational excellence possible. From heartfelt shoutouts to local celebrations, the week was filled with gratitude for the associates who deliver day in and day out. Thank you for all you do to support our customers, our communities, and each other.
COLORADO
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
PORTLAND
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ARIZONA
FSW BILLINGS
NEW MEXICO
ROXIE EAST
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
FSW FT COLLINS
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
IDAHO
ARIZONA
FLEET
ARIZONA TRANSPORTATION
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DEVELOPING LEADERS ACROSS SHAMROCK SHAMROCK LEADERS TRAINING PROGRAM 2025 At Shamrock, leadership is more than a title, it’s a commitment to growing people and delivering results. The Shamrock Leaders program was launched to develop and empower leaders at every level of the organization, equipping them with tools, mindset, and support to lead with purpose. Since its launch, teams of leaders from all operations locations have participated in workshops, coaching sessions, and hands-on learning experiences focused on communication, accountability, and team development. From Resilience 180 training to peer learning cohorts, the program continues to build a strong foundation of leadership that reflects our values and drives our success.
WE’RE NOT DONE YET! The Shamrock Leaders program is continuing to develop new and incoming leaders as well as expanding training to Sales and Home Office to ensure that all levels of Shamrock’s managers are equipped with the tools they need to best support their teams.
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THE FRANCES COLLABORATIVE We believe in growing outstanding leaders – and that includes creating space for women to connect, develop, and thrive. The Frances Collaborative is a company-wide organization dedicated to supporting women in business through networking, education, mentorship, and volunteer opportunities. Named in honor of Frances McClelland, a trailblazing leader and philanthropist who helped shape Shamrock’s legacy, the Collaborative continues her mission of empowering others. Whether you’re just starting your career or looking to expand your leadership, this is your place to grow alongside trusted colleagues and mentors. Join the Frances Collaborative’s Shamrock Dish group to learn more!
SHAMROCK STUDENTS: WHERE CAREERS BEGIN At Shamrock, we believe in investing in the next generation of leaders – and our professional internship program, Shamrock Students, is where that journey begins. This 11-week experience gives college students hands-on exposure to our business, meaningful group projects, guided facility tours, and opportunities to give back through community service. With mentorship from seasoned professionals and real-world learning, Shamrock Students graduate with the tools to launch successful careers – and many go on to join our team full-time. Know an outstanding student? Refer them to Shamrock Students for Class of 2026!
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Introducing SoundBite, Shamrock’s new podcast delivering you bite-sized information and updates from across the organization! Listen today on the Shamrock Dish!