Kings commemorative milk bottle a big hit

As one of the last dairy farms still packing their product in glass containers, the staff at Broguiere's Dairy likes to have fun with their bottle designs.

Photo courtesy Don Broguiere

A family-run business since 1920, the company has made commemorative bottle designs honoring numerous Southern California teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, UCLA, USC, and even Little League teams. But the response they're getting for their new bottle honoring the L.A. Kings' Stanley Cup win has shocked everyone, especially the head of the company.

"The response caught us off guard. We did a 'Congratulations Lakers' bottle three different times and never had a response like this," said company owner Ray Broguiere, whose son Chris is a big Kings fan and came up with the idea. "The response has been better than anything we've ever done."

A fourth-generation family-run business in Montebello, Calif., about 11 miles east of the Staples Center, the company first honored the Kings on their bottles in 1993, when they congratulated the team for winning its first conference title. When the team started making its Cup run last season, the Broguieres showed their support by printing "Go Kings, Go" on their bottle caps.

When the Kings won the Stanley Cup in June, the franchise's first Cup victory, the company designed two limited-edition bottles marking the occasion. Since unveiling the bottles, the folks at Broguiere's have seen unprecedented demand for their product. In fact, after selling the majority of their initial 8,000-bottle supply, Broguiere has just ordered an additional 8,000 Kings bottles. Not bad, especially considering that in the past these sports-themed promotions typically have sold about 4,000 bottles.

"I didn't think hockey was that popular," Ray Broguiere told NHL.com. "We did three bottles for the Lakers and never had a response like this. The phone is ringing more than it normally does. It's neat. The Kings have been a long time coming. People are looking for it and it puts a smile on their face. That's what I like."