Dean Foods Co. and Land O'Lakes Inc. have announced that Dean Foods will purchase Land O'Lakes Upper Midwest fluid milk operations. The two companies also announced their agreement to form a joint venture to market and license certain value-added fluid and cultured dairy products to further expand the Land O'Lakes name nationwide.

Both agreements will include long-term licensing arrangements for the use of the Land O'Lakes brand name.

Under the joint-venture agreement, Land O'Lakes and Dean Foods will each hold a 50 percent interest in an independent entity having the U.S. rights to develop, market and license Land O'Lakes brand cream, half and half, sour cream and extended shelf life products, including the successful GRIP'N GO single-serve milk. The joint venture will bring to market functional-food dairy products in convenient packaging designed for "on-the-go" lifestyles.