The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on April 19 unveiled a revised Food Guide Pyramid, which translates the U.S. Dietary Guidelines into a pictorial tool to help people choose the kinds and amounts of food to eat each day.

In addition, the department launched a consumer education Web site, www.MyPyramid.gov, as a way for people to tailor the pyramid to their own individual nutritional needs. The new pyramid continues the message from the updated dietary guidelines, released in January, that people above age 8 should consume three cups of lowfat or fat-free dairy products daily. Within the colorful graphic, the dairy recommendation is indicated by a wide band of blue.

The new graphic also focuses on nutrient-dense foods and encourages Americans to consume more lowfat and nonfat dairy products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. In addition to the new graphic, the Food Guidance System — “Steps to a Healthier You” — also provides interactive tools that allow consumers to personalize the dietary guidelines to their individual tastes and nutritional needs.

USDA’s Web site allows people to personalize the graphic to their individual caloric and physical activity requirements. The site features 12 different pyramids to meet individual needs. MyPyramid reinforces the importance for Americans to take small steps to reach a healthy lifestyle. The emphasis on physical activity is now reflected directly in the MyPyramid graphic depicting person walking up a set of stairs on the side of the three-dimensional pyramid.

With the recent announcement of the new USDA Food Guide System, Dairy Council of California has announced a revision of its nutrition education programs and other efforts to help consumers understand and apply the recommendations. “Dairy Council programs are complimentary to the USDA Food Guide System and Dietary Guidelines, and they encourage consumption of under-consumed foods, including lowfat and nonfat dairy products, whole grains, fruits and vegetables,” says Peggy Biltz, the council’s chief executive officer. “There will undoubtedly be consumer confusion with the announcement of the new food guide system, and we are primed to provide educators and health professionals with accurate and reliable nutrition information that will help their students and patients apply the changes.”

While supporters are encouraged by the new graphic depiction of the guidelines, some critics argue that not all Americans will be able to access the Web-based program, and that most will likely ignore the guidelines as they have in the past.  m

After celebrating its 100th anniversary last year and completing its acquisition by Chelsea, Mass.-based HP Hood LLC, Binghamton, N.Y.-based Crowley Foods is celebrating 2005 with a sweeping packaging makeover for its consumer dairy line. Starting in June, retailers and consumers will see a whole new look for Crowley products. Crowley says the bright, contemporary appearance reinforces the company’s “Life. Style.” promise, visibly portrays its reputation for quality and capitalizes on the dairy industry’s weight-loss message. “It’s an exciting time here at Crowley,” says Joe Cervantes, chief operating officer. “With our merger, our anniversary and our commitment to the dairy weight-loss program, everything just fell into place. It was a perfect time to revisit our packaging, turn up the volume and shake up the dairy case.” The new packaging boasts bright contemporary colors, clean graphic design, a larger brand logo and lively brand copy. All products that carry the Crowley brand name — including the company’s award-winning milk, cottage cheese and sour cream lines — are included in the makeover. In addition, Crowley’s lowfat and nonfat products will be highlighted with the company’s proprietary “Enjoy Dairy, Lose Weight” symbol and message. Crowley was one of the first dairy companies in the northeast to join Washington, D.C.-based International Dairy Food Association’s licensing program to promote dairy and weight loss.

Johnstown, Pa.-based Galliker Dairy Co. has introduced a new line of shakes and reintroduced its milk quarts and pints with vibrant new shrink labels from Farmingdale, N.Y.-based Seal-It Inc. Suggesting a youthful and lively appearance, the shake packaging features “Kid G” as the Galliker mascot. With flavors such as Cookies and Cream, Super Chocolate, Vanilla and Root Beer, the shake line evokes a feeling of fun and excitement. The Seal-It shrink labels highlight kaleidoscopic graphics and bold colors. The new label design provides nutrition facts, ingredients, bar codes and enhanced color graphics to ensure brand identity for Galliker. The labels are rotogravure printed in 10 colors.

California sour cream puts the fiesta in Mexican holiday dishes. This dairy staple cools caliente Mexican-American cuisine with its rich, creamy tang. A dollop of sour cream makes a perfect garnish atop steaming tortilla soup or sizzling fajitas. During festive celebrations like this month’s Cinco de Mayo, sour cream was the key ingredient for party dips and dressings. This Cinco de Mayo holiday, sour cream was front-and-center in a remixed version of the classic seven layer dip. Cinco de Layer Dip, the latest recipe from the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), Modesto, Calif., featured five layers to commemorate Cinco de Mayo — the fifth day of May in 1862, when Mexico defeated the French army in the Battle of Puebla. The five layers of Cinco de Layer Dip outscore the typical seven with a surprisingly spicy kick and freshly prepared ingredients. A seasoned black bean base lays the foundation for colorful rows of guacamole and a Mexican cheese blend. Sour cream and smoky chipotle peppers in adobo sauce add a complex, fiery layer unique to a traditional party dip. Homemade salsa is the finishing touch. For additional recipes and news, visit the California Dairy Press Room at www.californiadairypressroom.com. One of the largest marketing boards in the United States, CMAB executes generic advertising, retail and food service promotions and research programs on behalf of California dairy products, including Real California Cheese.

BC Dairy Foundation (BCDF), Vancouver, British Columbia, is launching a ground-breaking campaign for milk that takes viewers back to the Stone Age, a time when making nutritional food choices could have an immediate impact on survival. Developed by DDB Canada, the visually rich campaign uses cutting-edge animation and humor to appeal to young adults and persuade them to drink more milk. The ads feature cavemen, dinosaurs and other prehistoric beasts, cleverly setting up the tagline, “It’s always been survival of the fittest. Drink milk.” Campaign elements include television, cinema and outdoor promotions, point-of-purchase executions and an original interactive Web site by Tribal DDB, www.drinkmilk.ca.

The 2005 IFT Annual Meeting + Food Expo®, July 16 to 20 at the Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, promises to deliver to food industry professionals “the voice of sound science,” and a venue in which to showcase new products, services, applications and solutions. Malcolm Gladwell, a staff writer with The New Yorker and author of the best seller “The Tipping Point,” will be the keynote speaker July 17. Attendees will hear his views on communication, decision-making and the management of trends and change. New to this year’s event are a one-day International Food Safety & Quality Conference (with an emphasis on global food production) and a State of the Food Industry Forum. In addition, the 2005 program combines non-technical topics such as wine selection, financial planning for retirement and project management skills with the traditional technical sessions. The three-day expo will feature the latest in food-industry ingredients and additives; processing equipment, instrumentation and supplies; packaging equipment and supplies; and services. This year, the expo will be open from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. July 17 to 19. Expo highlights include the International Food Safety & Quality Pavilion, the Healthy Food Ingredients Pavilion and the interactive IFT/Research Chefs Association Product Development Pavilion. Ongoing new product showcase presentations on the expo floor’s stage will focus on food product trends and include displays, tastings and more. Visit Dairy Management Inc.’s (DMI) booth to learn about great-tasting, nutritious, versatile and functional dairy ingredients that offer superior food and beverage solutions. DMI will sponsor two symposia — “Whey Proteins in Foods: Past, Present and Future” and “UF Milk and UF Milk Ingredients in Food Products.” For more information, contact IFT at (708) 486-0715 or visit www.am-fe.ift.org.

It doesn’t get any easier than this. For retailers interested in value-added in-store dairy, deli and bakery departments, there’s a one-stop shopping experience just waiting at the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association’s (IDDBA) annual Seminar & Expo, June 5 to 7 in Minneapolis.  m  This three-day event at the Minneapolis Convention Center is titled “Speak Easy,” in reference to the Twin Cities’ Prohibition-era reputation for speakeasies. Then again, IDDBA officials say: “It’s a short step from ‘Speak Easy’ to ‘Eat Easy,’ as in easy preparation, easy cleanup, easy packaging, easy cooking and easy eating.”  It couldn’t be easier for retailers to take in a topnotch program with keynoters such as former President George H.W. Bush, former Secretary of State Colin Powell and NASCAR driver Kyle Petty. The convention also serves up more than a dozen leadership and category-specific presentations, including a comprehensive look at in-store department trends (IDDBA’s annual “What’s In Store” report), study of consumer snacking habits, review of top-selling product categories and the latest news involving nutrition labeling and trans fatty acids. Retailers also will find it easy to get new ideas on the expo trade floor. Exhibitors will fill the convention center with new foods, packaging, supplies and services. For more information, contact IDDBA at (608) 238-7908 or visit www.iddba.org.