Leading quality, food safety, regulatory compliance and sustainability efforts for Clover Sonoma, Michael Benedetti is dedicated to delivering the highest quality dairy products while minimizing the company’s impact on the environment. Working closely with Clover Sonoma’s product and operations teams and network of 30 family farms, Michael oversees all aspects of the company’s sustainability initiatives which include the implementation of regenerative on-farm practices, packaging innovations and operational improvements.
Prior to joining Clover Sonoma in 2007, Michael spent eight years working in biotechnology which fostered his passion for translating complex scientific data into actionable insights. This experience, coupled with his interest in agricultural sustainability and human nutrition, has helped Clover Sonoma continually deliver on its promise of leading with integrity as a conscious dairy.
The grandson of Clover Sonoma’s founder Gene Benedetti, Michael has dairy in his DNA and is dedicated to improving the world by leveraging more sustainable dairy farm practices to positively contribute to the environment and society as a whole. Notably, under his leadership in 2022, Clover Sonoma tested Blue Ocean Barns’ Brominata™, a dehydrated form of red seaweed that is proven to cut cows' methane emissions from burps without changing the taste of milk. During the trial phase, Clover Sonoma’s Brominata-fed dairy cows achieved over a 50 percent reduction in methane while still producing delicious dairy. Additionally, he spearheaded innovations in Clover Sonoma’s packaging, launching both the first renewable milk carton and the first 30% post-consumer recycled (PCR) gallon milk jug in the U.S. Since 2007, the elimination of plastic caps on the company’s half-gallon paper cartons has prevented more than one million pounds of plastics from entering landfills to date. With a focus on operational excellence, Michael helped reduce water usage by 20 million gallons of water at Clover Sonoma’s production facility between 2017 and 2022.
A self-proclaimed champion for milk, Michael has held several advisory and advocacy roles within the dairy industry. He is currently a Sustainability Committee member with the International Dairy Foods Association as well as the California Dairy Institute. He previously served on Clover Sonoma’s Board of Directors from 2012-2021 and the Dairy Council of California’s Board of Directors from 2016-2018.
Michael earned dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Neuroscience and Philosophy from the University of California, San Diego.