Producers can expect continued growth in McDonald’s dairy sales, say national dairy leaders.
Checkoff’s partnership with McDonald’s directly contributed to an additional 1.7 billion pounds of milk sold between 2009 and 2011.
Source: Dairy Management Inc. news release
ORLANDO, Fla. – The dairy checkoff’s strategy of working with powerful partners is helping to “secure dairy’s future” by contributing to billions of additional pounds of milk sales and enhancing dairy’s image.
Dairy producer promotion leaders delivered this message to nearly 1,000 producer and industry representatives at the 2012 National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (NDB)/National Milk Producers Federation/United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA) Joint Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla., Oct. 29-31.
Working with industry leaders McDonald’s® and Domino’s® represents a business strategy that helps the dairy checkoff “do more with less,” said California producer Steve Maddox, NDB chairman. NDB carries out coordinated promotion and research programs to help build demand and expand domestic and international markets for dairy products.
“In the past, checkoff efforts were largely focused on generic promotion to help raise consumer awareness through generic advertising,” Maddox said. “We had some great ads that producers were extremely proud of, but we didn't grow sustained dairy sales.”
Maddox said the checkoff’s partnership with McDonald’s directly contributed to an additional 1.7 billion pounds of milk sold between 2009 and 2011. Producers can expect continued growth in McDonald’s dairy sales, he said, pointing to menu development efforts driven by checkoff employees who work at McDonald’s headquarters in Oak Brook, Ill.
Beyond McDonald’s, the checkoff’s partnerships with Domino’s and other pizza companies and suppliers have moved more than 6 billion pounds of milk since 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Pizza innovation continues with the recent introduction of Domino’s Handmade Pan Pizza, which uses up to 40 percent more cheese than the chain’s two-topping, hand-tossed pizzas.
Innovation Center Unifies Industry on Common Goals
Another example of checkoff partnerships to grow sales is focused on working with and through the dairy industry.
The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy®, created by producers in 2008, allows the checkoff to partner with processors, manufacturers and others to leverage their financial and other resources. More than 800 professionals representing 300 companies dedicate their time and expertise to help advance checkoff goals and priorities.
“Our checkoff program cannot do it alone,” said Paul Rovey, Arizona dairy producer and chair of Dairy Management Inc.™, which manages the national dairy checkoff through funding from NDB and UDIA. “We need the added muscle and backing of powerful partners through an industry-wide approach.”
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