WEST ALLIS, Wis. — There are more than 1,000 food and drink options at the Wisconsin State Fair.
For the Derynda family, it all started with a dairy stand back in 1955. Fast forward to today and they've got three stands including Adeline's Corn, but it's not just the food that makes this operation successful.
If you walk past Adeline's Corn stand and Derynda's Dairy Lane, it might be the footlong hot dog, roasted corn, or ice cream sundaes that catches your attention.
But it's the people behind the counter who've kept the business running for decades.
"We are a family that's the real key to the success of our operation," co-owner Ted Derynda said.
Ted has been working at the state fair since he was just 8 years old; today he turned 75.
67 years later, three generations now pitch in at the stand ages ranging from 14-77.
Samantha Derynda was one of the children who started helping as soon as she could.
"It is awesome seeing everyone grow up and learn through it, because we all start at a young age," Samantha said, smiling.
She's been working alongside her dad, sister and cousins for 25 years.
The Derynda family has gone from one dairy stand to a flourishing business of three.
Ted said they kept the signs very similar to show people that while things have changed over the years, the stand is still the same as it was back in 1955.
The business wasn't always smooth sailing. In the past three years, the family dealt with a pandemic, inflation, and product shortages. But they say it's the people like Joel and Janice Peterson who make it all worth it.
"This is the first thing we eat because we know it's going to be good," Joel smiled.
Between his wife and him they've been coming to get roasted corn for more than 20 years.
The possibilities are endless when you make your way to Adeline's Corn stand and Derynda's Dairy Lane, and the one thing you can count on is being treated as family.
The secret to all the success.
