Dairy processors that understand and optimize different dairy and plant based proteins will boost their odds for success.

Many consumers do not realize that milk is a good source of high-quality protein. To educate shoppers, use the cap on a gabletop carton or a bottle to promote milk’s protein content.

Protein may be a macronutrient the deficiency of which portends dire consequences for health. But it is amply represented in the American diet already. A 2015 analysis of the 2007-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that American men consume, on average, close to 100 grams of protein per day — nearly double the 56 grams generally recommended for the group.

As a child grows, meeting protein needs is important to accommodate rapid growth and development, and dairy is essential to filling that need.

As part of a health-conscious diet, many consumers perceive protein to be center stage as they strive to manage their weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle. For the dairy industry, the connection of protein to consumers’ needs for weight management can’t be ignored. When combined with its other essential nutrients, delicious taste and convenience, the natural protein found in milk, cheese, yogurt and other dairy-based products lends itself to food options that can help consumers increase their protein intake throughout the day.

More than half (55 percent) of adults say they would like to get more protein in their diet. Consumers also are more aware of protein’s benefits, with 88 percent recognizing that protein helps build muscle, 60 percent agreeing it creates a feeling of fullness and 60 percent indicating a diet high in protein may support weight loss.