The launch taps into health and convenience trends with a range of portable products free from additives and preservatives. With the flavoured milk market reported to be growing at 10% in the last year, Half Pint has been designed to appeal to families as a healthy addition to school lunchboxes or for after school refreshment. Plus, with recent research revealing that milk is more isotonic than water, Half Pint is also intended to be a post gym staple for active adults. Half Pint is available in three varieties – pure filtered Semi-Skimmed milk, Milk + Strawberry and Milk + Banana, which are both flavoured with real fruit extracts. Cravendale Brand Manager Alex Glen says: “With Half Pint we want to give consumers the option of drinking naturally flavoured milks with all the purity of Cravendale wherever they are. “And with flavours made from real fruit extracts, mums can feel confident they are giving their kids a healthy drink at lunchtime or after school that tastes great.”

Leading UK butter, spreads and margarine (BSM) brand Lurpak has added Lurpak Organic Spreadable, claimed to be one of the first organic products from a major BSM brand. Lurpak describes the launch as its most significant since Lurpak Spreadable Unsalted in 2006.

*US ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s has launched its latest low fat offering in the UK – a 500ml tub of strawberry cheesecake flavour frozen yogurt with less than 3% fat. * The company claims the new low fat frozen yogurt tastes a lot naughtier than it looks with real strawberries and oatmeal cookie chunks. Ben & Jerry’s has also teamed up with the Fairtrade Foundation for its latest launch this winter with its third ice cream to receive the Fairtrade Mark. Ben & Jerry’s created the world’s first ice cream made with Fairtrade ingredients when Fairtrade Vanilla was launched in summer 2006, followed by Fairtrade Vanilla Toffee Crunch soon after. Now the sugar, banana and cocoa in Chunky Monkey is also guaranteed to be traded in accordance with international Fairtrade standards. Available in 500ml tubs, Chunky Monkey is a mellow mix of pure cream from lush farmlands, real banana, Fairtrade chocolatey bananas and chunky walnuts. Ben & Jerry’s is working with the El Guabo banana producers’ assocation, Ecuador. Vice President Silvia Arevalo said: “Thanks to this co-operative, lives have been changed. Our farmers have guaranteed European sales for their bananas at a stable price all year round.”

UK independent cheese producer and milk processor Wyke Farms has launched Rosemary Conley’s Full Flavour Mature Cheese – a farmhouse Cheddar with less than 5% fat but with an authentic Cheddar taste and texture. The master cheese makers at Wyke say they have created an indulgent tasting, creamy textured and full flavoured Cheddar worthy of diet guru Rosemary Conley’s name. It contains fewer than half of the calories of normal Cheddar but no less protein or calcium. Rosemary Conley commented: “The indulgent taste and wonderful texture means that even the most experienced palate would find it difficult to believe this Cheddar has less than 5% fat”. ** Wyke Farms adds unsalted butter **In addition to the new cheese Wyke Farms has also launched Unsalted Farmhouse Butter to compliment its award winning range of dairy products.

Yoplait Group brand manager teens Angelica Costantini, said: “Frubes limited editions now account for 20% of annual Frubes sales, with a value of £11.9m year-on-year. One example that demonstrates this was the recent Doctor Who limited edition, which saw average weekly sales double versus previous limited editions. "With the huge popularity of The Simpsons Movie, we are expecting this new limited edition to be equally successful.”

*Lactalis McLelland is set to further expand its flagship Cheddar range, Seriously, with the launch of Seriously Lighter. * The company’s first lighter cheese offering follows the successful launches of Seriously Vintage and Seriously Strong Spreadable. Made with a blend of semi-skimmed and whole milk, Seriously Lighter is a third less fat cheese for those consumers seeking a tastier alternative to other reduced fat cheeses. Seriously Lighter is available in a 400g and 200g block and delivers a great Cheddar flavour and a texture that is easy to slice and grate. Use of a purple ‘Seriously’ rosette not only clearly illustrates that the product offers something different from the rest of the Seriously range, but it also indicates to consumers that the product will deliver a good, well-rounded tasting, lighter cheese which traditionally has been missing from the ‘light’ sector.

At around 28,000 pints, this surely has to qualify as the world's largest round. But for the beer buffs at Cask Marque, this wasn't about drinking but rather quality checking traditional, hand-pulled ale in thousands of pubs and bars throughout the country to see who's best. Huddersfield in West Yorkshire came out on top, with local pubs averaging a near perfect score of 19.5 out of a possible 20 points. Their ales were rigorously tested by Cask Marque inspectors for serving temperature, appearance, aroma and taste during a series of mystery shopper-style visits. Also making the top ten real ale towns and cities were Truro, Twickenham, Exeter, Northampton, Bristol, Lancaster, Plymouth, Southampton and Leicester. Paul Nunny, director of Cask Marque, an independent organisation responsible for monitoring real ale quality in British pubs, said: "For pub goers to really enjoy and appreciate their ale, it has to be served just right. "We were extremely impressed by the consistent quality of pints being pulled in Huddersfield, and offer our congratulations to local publicans, many of whom have already gained Cask Marque accreditation." Cask-conditioned ale differs from lagers and 'smooth' bitters because it's a living product that arrives at the pub not fully fermented. Publicans play a key role in finishing the ale, using their skill, knowledge and experience to look after the product and serve it when the quality is at its best. Paul added: "Cask ale is unique to British pubs, and when it's well kept and well presented, there's nothing else quite so refreshing and flavoursome. Get it wrong, however, and you run the risk of putting the consumer off for life." Cask Marque has inspected and accredited 4,300 real ale pubs throughout Britain. Its inspectors say the perfect pint must be served between 11 and 13 degrees centigrade in a spotlessly clean glass. The beer should have good clarity, a fresh aroma and a refreshing aftertaste.

dairy innovation takes a look at more dairy products that were on show at Anuga 2007 in Cologne. Following success in 2006, Italian dairy company Granarolo reintroduced its Special Edition Yomo in Season yogurt for the 2007 autumn and winter season. Available in three flavours: honey & royal jelly; chestnut; and figs – the yogurts are made with Italian milk, fruit and a little bit of sugar, with no sweeteners, flavourings or thickeners. They are available in twin packs of 125g pots. Yomo Desiderio Yomo Desiderio is a range of soft, creamy, healthy yogurts that are “as good as a dessert”. The range includes fiordilatte and crunchy cereals covered with chocolate, lemon and meringues, vanilla and granule of hazelnuts, strawberries and cream, chantilly cream, cream and black cherries, white cream (above), white chocolate and nougat with almonds and extra dark chocolate and small flakes. * Granorolo* Seizing on the drive for people to consume five a day fruit and vegetables, Granorolo has also introduced Yomo Frutta e Verdura 150, a range of yogurt drinks containing the equivalent of 150g of fruit and vegetables. Packaged in four 100g bottles, the drinks are available in five different mixes with five different colours, each offering a different health property. The range includes Yellow: yogurt, pineapple, mango, orange, pumpkin; Red: yogurt, strawberry, red grapes, orange, beet; Violet: yogurt, plums, blackberries, blueberries, chicory; White: yogurt, pear, peach, melon, fennel; Green: yogurt, apple, kiwi, white grapes, spinach. * Mlékárna* Mlékárna from the Czech Republic displayed two Bio soured milks. Soured products are beneficial to human health acting favourably on the gastrointestinal tract. Available in two flavours – natural and strawberry – and packed in 400g cartons, the 2.5% milks are produced on ecological farms in the Wallachia region of the country. Börd Käse German company Börd Käse has launched a Gourmet Käsecreme soft cheese containing Lemon and Ginger and packed in a 175g easy to open and resealable tub, together with a Special Edition Ziegenpeter Gold goat’s milk cheese – limited to just 5,000 4.5kg pieces. Parmalat After its recent well publicised troubles, it was good to see Italian dairy company Parmalat at the show. It was clear that while all the various legal wrangles were going on, the company’s new product research department was still busy developing new products. There was an impressive range of milks – designed to aid bone and tooth care, promote cardiac health, help children grow and fight free radicals. Milk Link The UK’s Milk Link dairy co-operative displayed its new look Black & Gold packaging that is used for the Tuxford & Tebbutt export range. Among the export range is a new barbecue and chilli cheese, produced for the US market. * AB Technologies* French company AB Technologies has produced a range of Squizzi Cheese – liquid cheese in squeezy bottles. The range – including camembert, blue cheese and goat’s cheese – is ideal for pizza toppings, as a salad dressing, spreading on toast or in sandwiches and several other applications. It is packed in 150g plastic bottles. The company was also displaying Zelasticks – bags of peelable string cheese, ideal for school children. The four cheeses are packed separately, each illustrating a family member (father, mother, son and daughter) that can be positioned by the child into the cardboard display. Milino With chilled milk bars one of the strongest growing product groups in the food sector, according to AC Neilsen, Austrian dairy company Milino has developed a range of Milk Snacks (left), available in two flavours – cocoa and honey. Naarmann German dairy company Naarmann has tapped into the growing popularity of coffee drinks such as latte macchiato and cappuccino with the launch of its Milch für feinen Milchschaum – Milk for fine milk froth (right). Froth is said to be important for these drinks and needs to be stable and good looking for as long as possible – characteristics that are on offer from this product. Naarmann has also developed a Basic Mix for ice cream, containing important ingredients like cream and full cream milk refined with sugar. Alongside this mix is a similar one for soft ice cream. The company says this marvellous creamy mix is available in two varieties – vanilla and chocolate. With yogurt being used in almost every kitchen, Naarmann has developed a fresh tasting yogurt for the catering market. The company says the yogurts – available in natural, strawberry, black cherry and toffee flavours – with 1.5% fat, have fine consistency with good acid stability and no whey leaking.

This article appeared in issue 15 of dairy innovation magazine as part of a focus on organic milk and dairy. If you would like to read the rest of the articles please go to our <1> where back issues are available for purchase. In the July issue of dairy innovation, our cover story featured Stonyfield Farm President and CEO Gary Hirshberg. In the interview he talked about making money while saving the world. Now he has published a book on the subject A true force for change, Gary Hirshberg has been at the forefront of movements working for environmental and social transformation for 30 years. From his early days as an educator and activist to his current position as President and CE-Yo of Stonyfield Farm, the world’s largest organic yogurt company, Hirshberg’s positive outlook has inspired thousands of people to recognise their ability to make the world a better place. * Grassroot techniques * In Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World, Hirshberg calls on individuals to realise their power to effect change in the marketplace - “the power of one” - while proving that environmental commitment makes for a healthier planet and a healthier bottom line. Drawing from his 25 years’ experience growing Stonyfield Farm from a seven cow start up, as well as the examples of like minded companies, such as Newman’s Own, Patagonia, Wal-Mart and Timberland, Hirshberg presents stunning evidence that business not only can save the planet, but is able to simultaneously deliver higher growth and superior profits as well. Hirshberg illustrates his points with practical information and advice, as well as engaging anecdotes from what he calls “the bad old days” of his yogurt company: how a power outage left him milking cows by hand, how a dumpster fire revealed the need for better packaging, and his camel manure taste test challenge to a local shock jock. He also describes hands on grassroots marketing strategies - printing yogurt lids with provocative, politically charged messages; handing out thousands of free samples to subway commuters to thank them for using public transport; and devising the country’s first organic vending machine - explaining how these approaches make a much more powerful impact on consumers than traditional advertising. <2>, published by Hyperion, demonstrates how companies can work to save the planet, while achieving greater profits, satisfaction and how we can all use the power of conscious consumption to encourage green corporate behavior. “Gary Hirshberg has done a masterful job telling the stories of cutting-edge companies that have found a way to increase profits and environmental sustainability at the same time.” - Ben Cohen, Co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s and Chairman of Business Leaders for Sensible Priorities. <1>: http://dairy.foodbev.com/issues/issueDetail.aspx?contentId=17 <2>: http://www.hyperionbooks.com/titlepage.asp?ISBN=1401303447

*DCI Cheese has introduced two new flavours of Nikos Feta cheese in United States – Peppercorn and Mediterranean – along with a new range of probiotic cheese. * The new cheeses – due in part to the rising popularity of feta cheese – were launched at the Winter Fancy Food Show in San Diego in January 2008. The Mediterranean Feta includes flavours such as tomato, basil, oregano, garlic and lemon juice. All varieties of the Nikos Feta, including the traditional flavour and tomato basil, are offered in 8oz exact weight packages, 7-9oz random weight packages, and 6oz crumble cups. DCI also unveiled a new, more contemporary look and packaging label for the Nikos brand to celebrate its continued success in the market. The new labels utilise a Grecian font, the tagline Robust Mediterranean and stylised pictures of a Greek pillar and a rolling Mediterranean ocean wave to reflect the rich heritage of this cheese category. The new packaging also features a signature colour of either blue, red, purple or green to designate each individual flavour. DCI Director of Marketing for the Import Division Debbie Seife said: “Nikos Feta Cheese has been a favourite among US consumers since it was launched in the early 1990s. By adding two new flavours and giving the packaging a new look, we are celebrating the consistent growth in sales of this top brand; it is a Mediterranean favourite.” * Probiotic cheese* DCI Cheese Company has launched its first probiotic cheese line under DCI’s County Line brand of specialty cheeses. County Line probiotic cheeses are available in four 8oz varieties. The new products are positioned to appeal to busy health conscious consumers who are seeking a convenient and consistent way to maintain physical health. With Americans’ growing awareness of healthy living, probiotic products saw a 190% increase in 2006. “We are excited to be introducing our first probiotic offerings in an effort to bring increased health benefits in a functional product to our cheese consumers,” said Vice President of Marketing Linda Hook.

Shamrock Farms is offering US consumers a new size of milk container for its organic milk range. The Arizona dairy has launched the 96oz Smart Fit bottle. Describing it as ergonomically friendly, the dairy says that the new bottle is “the perfect size for the fridge”, with a no slip handle making it convenient to carry and easy to pour for kids. The Smart Fit bottle is available in three varieties - whole milk, 2% and fat free.

*YoFarm, a division of America’s Breyer’s yogurt company, added plenty of colour to its Christmas offering with the launch of YoCrunch Vanilla with M&M's. * Packed in 6oz cups, the new product provided the wholesome nutrition of the company’s creamy vanilla yogurt coupled with the tantalising taste of the popular Mars confectionery M&M's.