You’ve heard about the success of single-serve milk in plastic bottles. The nation-wide initiative to place milk vending machines in schools and public areas is certainly a big part of this report from Freedonia Group, Inc.

Demand for dairy packaging is projected to expand 4.1 percent annually to $4.3 billion in 2010. Growth will be fueled by favorable trends in consumption of a number of dairy products resulting from increased nutritional awareness among consumers and heightened demand for fresh foods as part of a healthier diet. Presented in “Dairy Packaging,” a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research firm.

Bottle prospects will be aided by robust expansion for single-serving plastic bottles with milk and drinkable yogurt. Tub and cup demand will be driven by favorable expansion in cultured dairy applications. Cream applications will be driven by continued solid growth in coffee houses and rapidly expanding sales of coffee in other away-from-home venues, such as convenience stores and quick service restaurants. While per capita milk consumption is expected to continue to decline, the shift to single-serving plastic bottles in favor of gabletop cartons in schools and quick service restaurants tends to boost milk sales in these venues.