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*UK dairy company, Arla Foods, has appointed Samantha Glassford as Brand Manager on one of its fastest growing brands, Lactofree. *

Samantha joins the team after 18 months as a Retail Consultant for retail marketing agency, The Bezier Group – working on Argos, Boots, M&S Finance, Cadbury, GSK and Unilever – and prior to that, as Product Marketing Manager for Mamas & Papas.

Samantha, whose experience includes delivering bespoke insights to influence and shape retail marketing campaigns alongside in-store environment and shopper interaction projects, will work closely on the implementation of the lactose-free brand’s in-store activation and drive forward its on-going national advertising, PR and digital strategy campaigns, most notably on the brand’s new product development.

Lactofree launched in 2006 as the UK’s first ever lactose-free dairy drink. The portfolio now includes natural and flavoured yogurts, recently launched in all major supermarkets, and Lactofree cheese, which will launch in January 2009. Both foods were hailed as ‘most missed’ by those with lactose intolerance following consumer insight.

The new yogurt and cheese will be accompanied by an extension of the Lactofree milk range, with whole milk standing alongside its already existing semi-skimmed milk variant.

Samantha Glassford commented: “It is an extremely exciting time to join Arla and manage an innovative brand like Lactofree as it undergoes considerable growth. I am very much looking forward to taking a hands on approach to deliver new above and below the line campaign strategies and working on products that makes such a difference to consumers and their lifestyles”.