DEAN FOODS CO, S-3, EX-23.1, 2000-06-23

DEAN FOODS CO
S-3, EX-23.1, 2000-06-23
DAIRY PRODUCTS

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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.1

                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

   We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration
Statement on Form S-3 of our report dated June 28, 1999 relating to the
financial statements, which appears in the 1999 Annual Report to Shareholders
which is incorporated by reference in Dean Foods Company's Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended May 30, 1999. We also consent to the incorporation
by reference of our report dated June 28, 1999 relating to the financial
statement schedules, which appears in such Annual Report on Form 10-K. We also
consent to the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in such Registration
Statement.

                                          PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

Chicago, Illinois
June 22, 2000