Dairy Industry Focuses On Natural/Healthy Products

Natural Products Expo West, in California, is the country’s premier trade show for the natural and healthy products industry.  The national dairy checkoff team returned to Expo West to showcase how real dairy not only offers exceptional taste and value but  provides health benefits that resonate with today’s consumers.

"The biggest takeaway is we need to talk to the industry, and we need to talk beyond the industry about innovating with dairy," said Marla Buerk, executive vice president of innovation for Dairy Management, Inc.  "We need to stay on the trends. We need to bring it to consumers where they need it, right? We need to solve their needs with dairy, and we can.“

Dairy Management, Inc. teamed up with the California Milk Advisory Board for a collective “Innovate with U.S. Dairy” approach that showcased dairy’s potential through the sampling of new products.  Norrie Wilson, Innovation and Insights Consultant for Dairy Management, Inc. said attendees were very open to what the dairy industry had to share.

“The first thing when they walk up, and they say, is this real dairy? Their expectation is that it's going to taste great. And then they do have some conversations about, what are the health benefits of this and aspects of that? And the thing that a lot of people, whether it's consumers or buyers, don't know, is the health benefits of dairy and how it can deliver against their specific health and wellness needs.”

Pennsylvania dairy farmer Lolly Lesher attended Expo West to help answer attendees’ questions, and she found substantial interest in the health aspects of food products and how dairy can meet those demands.

"I was just overwhelmed by the number of items that were talking about protein, talking about health and diet. It's the perfect player for dairy to tell them and show them that we are the answer to a lot of those needs.”

Click Here to learn more about what the dairy checkoff is doing to drive sales and build trust in dairy.

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