3-7 IAT Think Milk

 Soft drinks and other liquid beverages appear to be contributing to a decline in milk sales.   

Milk sales have been declining for decades and Tom Gallagher, CEO of Dairy Management Inc.  knows some actions extend beyond the role of the checkoff – that’s why an industry-wide approach is critical to success -- success that can only happen if the dairy industry works as a whole to take back the market it has given away to competitors who are doing a better job at innovating to meet consumer needs.

“For the last four decades the industry has not done the things necessary to provide an evolving consumer with the things that they want, where they want them, and how they want them. So of course, others have stepped in and filled that void. But that was our market share to give away, and we did.”

Producers’ commitment to change started with a 9-million dollar dairy checkoff investment into fluid milk revitalization projects. DMI’s Barb O’brien says this unprecedented effort of working with processors, co-ops and retailers will help address issues that have hurt fluid milk sales.