Dairy Partnerships Drive Dairy Sales
Dairy Management Incorporated’s Joe Bavido is back for part III in our discussion on 2009 dairy partnerships and innovation and how they drove dairy sales for farmers and began with growing ingredient sales at foodservice.
Bavido reported that the dairy check off worked with Starbucks to facilitate a third flavor in the Vivanno Smoothie line, which uses whey protein and fluid milk. These smoothies account for more than 3.7 million pounds of whey protein and 550 million pounds of fluid milk annually, according to Bavido.
The check off also continues to work with individual processors, schools, and foodservice chains to ensure that consumers have the fluid milk products they want, when, and where they want them, according to Bavido. Today, more than 70,000 restaurants across the country and 11,000 schools offer white and flavored milk in single-serve, plastic, resealable bottles.
He also reported that the National Dairy Council, which is the nutrition education and research arm of the dairy checkoff, “maintains and grows support for dairy’s nutrition and health benefits by working with health and marketplace leaders.” He mentioned specifically the partnership with the NFL and the “Fuel Up to Play 60” campaign as an example of “combating childhood obesity by encouraging schools to implement physical activity and good nutrition, including dairy.”