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Dairy Field, Aug 2003

PRODUCT & PROMOTION NEWS

* Since its kickoff in March, the 3-A-Day of Dairy program has continued to gain momentum in its mission to educate Americans about the nutritional benefits of including at least three servings of dairy in their daily diet. Highlights of the program include an advertorial in Reader's Digest, directing readers to www.3aday.org for tips on a healthier diet; ads targeting health professionals in medical journals; growing ranks among retailers participating in the program; more than a billion qualified dairy products to carry the 3-A-Day logo by the end of 2003; distribution of 8,000 "Mom Tool Kits" to Web site visitors; and 17,000 subscribers to the Get3 e-newsletter. More than 140,000 people have visited the Web site since its launch in March. On the growing list of 3-A-Day manufacturing partners are fluid milk producers like Horizon Organic, Meadow Gold and Swiss Valley Farms; cheese makers including Cabot Creamery, Sargento and Tillamook; and yogurt makers like Breyers, Dannon andYoplait, in addition to retailer private labels in all three categories.

* The Cooperative Regions of Organic Producer Pools (CROPP), LaFarge, Wis., celebrated the groundbreaking of its new headquarters building on july 12. Government and business leaders attended the gathering to kick off construction of the $4 million, 45,000-square-foot facility that's designed to look like a barn, complete with silo. The structure will incorporate "green design" features including an energy recovery system that swaps cool and warm air within the building, day lighting to reduce the need for electric lights, sustainable water-free plumbing and solar-powered parking lot lights. CROPP has more than 530 farmer members in 17 states who produce 130 organic foods marketed under the Organic Valley brand name, including milk, cheese and butter. Organic Valley also has launched a new "e-community" known as Mothers of Organic, or MOO.Targeted at parents on a mission to protect the health of their children and raise their families the organic way, MOO features diverse input from celebrity activists including Erin Brockovich and Kelly Preston, as well as chefs, gardeners and yoga enthusiasts. Also showcased on the site is the Children's Environmental Health Coalition (CHEC). Divided into seven "energy centers," the site features recipes using organic ingredients, nutritional research, activist information and personality profiles.

The California Milk Processor Board (CMPB) is expanding its alliance with McDonald's to southern and central California to promote milk with the fastfood chain's Breakfast Happy Meals. In the expanded promotion, to run through September, children will receive a carton of cold milk in addition to "got milk?" gifts at McDonald's locations in greater Los Angeles, San Diego, Bakersfield, Santa Barbara and Sacramento. In southern California, milk also will be offered with Hamburger Happy Meals. Plus, McDonald's employees will sport "got milk?" buttons, and the tagline will appear on menu boards, tray liners and other point-of-purchase displays. CMPB first teamed with McDonald's in May 2003 for a pilot promotion at 153 restaurants in the Sacramento area.

* Cheeses made by the Turlock, Calif., plant of Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) have earned gold ratings in the 2003 California State Fair commercial cheese contest. Receiving gold ribbons were Turlock's whole-milk mozzarella, part-skim mozzarella, provolone and smoked provolone cheeses. The provolone also was named Best of Division, earning a spot at the 2003 California Grape and Gourmet event in July. DFA's Petaluma, Calif., plant also took gold ribbons in the competition. Of Petaluma's five entries, its medium cheddar, Monterey jack, fresh cheddar and pepper jack won gold honors, while its garlic jack took a silver. Judged by three California state dairy inspectors, cheeses in the state fair contest are evaluated for flavor, texture, body, finish and color, with each quality weighted on a 100-point scale. Gold medals are awarded for scores of 98.0 and above.

* Tarrytown, N.Y.-based yogurt maker Dannon partnered with Albertson's supermarkets earlier this year to raise $10,000 for two America's second Harvest food banks - the Oregon Food Bank and Seattle's Food Lifeline. For every 4-ounce Dannon product purchased at participating Albertson's stores in Oregon and Seattle for a month last spring, both companies donated 10 cents to the food banks, with the total proceeds to be split between them.

Also, as part of the Families Feeding America program, Dannon and Albertson's pledged $1,000 worth of groceries to be awarded to three families who have worked to help end hunger in their communities. Winners were selected based on submitted essays about their work with hunger-relief organizations.

* A 20-pound loaf of whole-milk mozzarella cheese entered by Tom Christie, cheesemaker at Waupun, Wis.-based Alto Dairy, won its class at the 2003 Wisconsin State Fair Governor's Sweepstakes Cheese and Butter Contest. The mozzarella earned a score of 99.6 out of a possible 100 points. Alto's entry was among more than 165 cheeses from 51 Wisconsin cheese factories in 17 classes in this year's state fair contest. The winning cheeses were displayed and on sale throughout the fair, July 31 to August 10. Nearly 650 million pounds of mozzarella is produced in Wisconsin annually. After receiving his award July 31, Christie's cheese was sold at auction to Milwaukee-based Chr. Hansen Inc. for $30 a pound.