Glendale, Calif.-based Nestlé USA Inc., makers of the legendary Nestlé® Nesquik®, has expanded its shelf-stable portfolio to include a shelf-stable, vendible 8-ounce chocolate and strawberry Nesquik RTD in plastic resealable bottles. Nestlé initially launched its shelf-stable product line in a 14-ounce size in April 2006. “We introduced the 8-ounce size in June 2006 as an extended shelf-life product and are pleased to now be able to offer it as a shelf-stable, vendible product,” says Cathy Dean, marketing manager for Nestlé Nesquik RTD. “This is a great solution for schools, vending and office coffee services (OCS) operators who wish to provide 100 percent flavored milk in smaller portions but don’t have refrigerated warehouses or trucks. School districts with restricted serving sizes or younger students will find this 8-ounce size to be a great option.”

Nestlé Nesquik RTD flavored milk meets the standard for “fluid milk” noted in the recent clarification of the 2004 Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization, which refers to “fluid milk,” as opposed to “fluid milk products,” which are often only 51 percent fluid milk. Additionally, the National School Lunch Act contains an “anytime, anywhere” provision for milk, which states that schools may not directly or indirectly restrict the sale or marketing of milk at any time or anyplace on campus. As a result, schools are free to vend any brand of milk, and cannot be limited by soft drink or vending contracts.

American teenagers at schools across the country are reaping the rewards from stepping up their milk consumption. Launched in 2006, the Body by Milk campaign was introduced by the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) to educate students about achieving and maintaining a healthy weight by choosing milk in school cafeterias and vending machines.

After a strong response from teens in its first year, Body by Milk will be expanded for the 2007-08 school year to offer teens greater incentives and rewards for simply drinking more milk. The campaign was developed to educate teens about the value of replacing sugary soft drinks with milk, eating right and being physically active to help them stay healthy, lean and looking their best.

The inaugural year of Body by Milk included a teen-friendly Web site where teens could redeem bar codes from milk purchases for prizes in an effort to increase milk consumption. Nearly a million people visited www.bodybymilk.com in the first year to learn more about the program. More than 67,000 registered for the innovative features of Body by Milk including the “Milk Shop” where teens bid for prizes such as apparel, electronics, games, music and more.

Adding to the online experience, teens can star in their own “got milk?” mustache ad and view the latest celebrity ads. “The response to Body by Milk by teens has been overwhelming in the program’s first year,” says Victor Zaborsky, director of marketing for Washington, D.C.-based International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). “Processors can expect to see a jump not only in school milk sales, but in retail sales as well as teens continue to drink more milk.” More than 750,000 unique visitors have come to the site since it first launched at the beginning of the 2006-07 school year resulting in 2.8 million different experiences with the site.

Additionally, after receiving the kits, a survey conducted by MilkPEP showed that 93 percent of schools used the Body by Milk materials. The second year of Body by Milk promises teens even more rewards for being active and drinking more milk. 

For elementary students, Body by Milk kits with age-appropriate materials including Milk Mustache celebrity posters that promote traditional health messages will be distributed to schools nationwide. For more information, visit www.milkdelivers.org.

At the beginning of the school year, Orrville, Ohio-based Smith Dairy Products Co. rolled out its new Smith’s single-serve and limited-edition flavors school milk product lines. “We wanted to encourage healthier, more nutritious, and fun choices at the school lunch line,” says Penny Baker, director of marketing for Smith Dairy. “Studies show that if we offer kids more flavor options and an appealing package design, they’ll drink more milk.”

Smith’s year-round line of single-serve school milk is available in 1% low-fat and 2% reduced-fat white milk, 1% low-fat chocolate milk and 1% low-fat strawberry-flavored milk, all in specially redesigned half-pint plastic packaging with easy-to-open screw-top caps. The bottles are in Smith’s signature yellow color that keeps milk tasting fresher longer and blocks out harmful light that can cause flavor damage and depletion of vitamins.

The dairy’s new Limited Edition 1% Low-Fat Milk flavors are available in rotation, also in the redesigned packaging. Smith Dairy offered Vanilla in January through March, and Orange Cream in April through the end of the school year.

The company says it decided to energize its school milk product line after National Dairy Council and American School Food Service Association research showed that milk consumption rose dramatically when kids were offered multiple flavors of milk in plastic bottles that were highly visible and readily available in several campus locations and in vending machines. The company completed the packaging makeover with a dynamic label design that appeals to students of all ages, from elementary to high school. For more information, visit www.smithdairy.com.