Inspiring Consumers To Choose Dairy Milk
As CEO of Washington, D.C.- based MilkPEP, Yin Woon Rani is responsible for helping milk suppliers and retailers sell more milk. Rani talked to Progressive Grocer about how MilkPEP is inspiring consumers to actively choose dairy milk.
Progressive Grocer: What makes dairy milk an excellent choice for consumers to incorporate into their diets?
Yin Woon Rani: With 13 essential nutrients, dairy milk is a nutritional powerhouse that’s also incredibly affordable, making it accessible to a wide range of people at around $0.25 per 8-ounce glass.¹ When it comes to taste, dairy milk’s rich and creamy profile is hard to beat. It’s a taste that many people love and find satisfying alone — in fact, the largest consumption of milk is still by the glass.2 Milk’s neutral flavor can also complement both sweet and savory dishes, making it a versatile ingredient in the kitchen. Consumers can use it as a base for smoothies, a creamy addition to their morning coffee, a complement to a delicious snack, or as the key ingredient in countless recipes, from savory soups to delicious desserts.
PG: What sets dairy milk apart nutritionally?
YWR: Dairy milk is a superfood that’s packed with nutrition. Its unique blend of electrolytes, carbs, and high-quality protein makes it even more hydrating than water.3 It helps fuel your day — with complete protein for lean muscle, four B vitamins for energy conversion, and vitamin A, zinc, and selenium for a healthy immune system. There’s also calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus for strong bones, and iodine for metabolism regulation. Plus, it contains potassium, which helps maintain muscle function and fluid balance.4
PG: How is MilkPEP connecting to consumers to help inform them of the nutritional benefits of dairy milk?
YWR: MilkPEP is focused on reaching modern families through its always-on media campaign — in addition to targeted platforms related to running and gaming — to highlight milk as a performance beverage. We remain very focused on inspiring mom as she’s still the most influential in the household. We’re leveraging imagery of women in action along with messaging that highlights the many benefits of milk. Moms who have been exposed to our messaging over the past year are more likely to drink milk. And we find that when mom drinks milk, 88 percent of children in the home drink milk daily, emphasizing the importance of mom’s role modeling.5
PG: Have you learned anything from the current campaign about the information consumers have shown the most interest in?
YWR: Consumers have overwhelmingly responded to information about hydration and protein. Hydration continues to be the most surprising to consumers! Research shows that dairy milk helps kids reach their full height potential and this message also resonates well with moms and kids alike. We’re also exploring new ways to increase shopper understanding of the various options available within the dairy milk category. One area of focus is lactose-free, which continues to trend upward, growing 7% in volume over the past year.6
PG: How can retailers help shoppers choose dairy milk?
YWR: Milk is a $16 billion dollar category, and it is found in over 91% of households.7 It is practically ubiquitous and many times can be taken for granted. We’re seeing that highlighting the benefits of milk closer to the point-of-purchase can inspire usage. These messages can be benefit-focused or inform shoppers of new occasions where they can use milk — as a mixer with alcoholic drinks, for example. In one test we saw purchase intent among those exposed to this new occasion increase by 18 points, and they were 14 points higher in their belief that milk can be used in a variety of ways.6 The possibilities for including dairy milk daily are many — from breakfast to snacking to cooking and more, there’s good reason to remind shoppers why along their entire journey!
With 13 essential nutrients, dairy milk is a nutritional powerhouse that’s also incredibly affordable, making it accessible to a wide range of people at around $0.25 per 8-ounce glass.
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT MILKPEP.ORG.
Sources:
1, 6, 7 – Circana 52 weeks ending August 13, 2023.
2, 5 – Q2 ’23 Ad Tracker Campaign Impact Report; Q3 ’23 Milk Consumption Tracker conducted by Radius.
3 – https://gonnaneedmilk.com/Hydration.
4 – https://gonnaneedmilk.com/why-milk/essential-nutrients/.
6 – Lucid Shopper Study – June 2023.