The National Dairy Council recently received high honors from the 2007 Global Dairy Innovation Awards in the “Best School Milk Initiative” category for its partnerships with local dairy processors and six school districts to encourage milk consumption among children and adolescents. Each school district has adopted white and flavored milk in kid-friendly plastic packaging.

St. Vrain Valley School District (Colo.) experienced a 40 percent increase in milk purchases following the introduction of 10-ounce single-serve bottles of white, chocolate, strawberry and orange crème flavored milk, in conjunction with Robinson Dairy. Marietta City Schools (Ga.) Middle School promoted reduced-fat white and low-fat chocolate milk in 8-ounce plastic bottles as a part of the school’s “Grab-and-Go Breakfasts” initiative, in partnership with Mayfield Dairy. Omaha Public Schools (Neb.) teamed up with Roberts Dairy to introduce milk in plastic bottles and encouraged kids to drink milk with help from Olympic Gold Medal wrestler Rulon Gardner. Strongsville City Schools (Ohio) introduced low-fat and fat-free milk in plastic bottles and displayed them in open-air merchandising. The district conducted milk sampling events in conjunction with Dairymen’s Milk & Ice Cream Co. Chicopee Public Schools (Mass.) partnered with Garelick Farms to double milk consumption through the introduction of low-fat and fat-free milk in 10-ounce plastic bottles. Spring Independent School District (Texas), with the help from Borden Dairy and NFL player David Carr, the district promoted white and flavored milk as part of school meals and vending offerings.

“The New Look of School Milk’s innovative plastic packaging and flavors have redefined milk’s place both inside the cafeteria and throughout the school campus, making it more appealing to students and staff. We hope our efforts here will inspire other schools and processors across the country to work together and increase milk consumption through new packaging and flavors,” said Camellia Patey, vice president, school marketing, Dairy Management Inc.