Milk performs as a base or an ingredient in drinks targeted to nutrition-seeking consumers
Old-timers in the milk industry will say that milk, all by itself, is a nutritional beverage. It doesn't need to be boosted, fortified or further processed to be positioned in the functional foods category, they'll argue. And they're not completely wrong, as milk is an inherently nutritional beverage. But, another reality is that marketers and consumers alike still view the white stuff as a commodity rather than a functional food.
It is true that most consumers understand the nutritional value of milk, but we live in a society of quick fixes and promises. Trendy names and functional claims are the hallmarks of today's food marketing game. Consumers want more from their foods, and more from the beverages they drink. The key word for growth in the fluid milk business is innovation. The way to innovate is to view milk as a base or carrier for good-for-you ingredients, or to view milk or its constituents as the good-for-you ingredient.