New branding initiative puts spotlight on the Canadian origin of dairy products

Dairy Farmers of Canada is working with dairy processors, distributors, retailers and food service companies across Canada to launch an exciting new brand for Canadian dairy products. The new 100 percent Canadian Milk brand clearly emphasizing the Canadian origin of dairy products will launch in March 2009.

“Over the last ten years, our ‘quality milk’ brand did a great job of building an understanding among consumers that Canadian dairy products are synonymous with quality,” said Ian MacDonald, National Director of Marketing and Nutrition with Dairy Farmers of Canada. “The explicit clarity of the new 100 percent Canadian Milk brand responds to growing consumer demand to clearly identify the origin of all food products on the package.”

Canadian dairy products are different from foreign dairy products. They are made by fellow Canadians who live on nearby farms, they contribute to the Canadian economy, and they are produced in keeping with deeply held Canadian values such as respect for the environment, food quality, and animal care. The new 100 percent Canadian Milk branding clearly indicates the dairy products they are buying are produced in a manner that truly reflects Canadian values.

To date, more than 30 processors have adopted the brand for more than 2,000 products, and the numbers are growing every day.

“We’ve had great success with the ‘quality milk’ brand over the years and we’re always proud that our products are made with Canadian milk,” said John MacKay, Vice-President, Marketing with the Scotsburn Dairy Group. “As far as Scotsburn is concerned, you can’t make a better product with anything other than 100 percent Canadian milk.”

“I think it is vitally important we start educating the consumer that everything you find in the ice cream cabinet in the supermarket is not real ice cream made from 100 percent Canadian milk,” said Penny Chapman, President of Chapman’s Ice Cream of Markdale, Ontario. “The new brand will help consumers choose real ice cream made with 100 percent Canadian Milk as opposed to frozen dessert made with vegetable oils.”

The ‘quality milk’ brand will be phased out as processors sell their inventories over the next few months. Some processors have already placed the new 100 percent Canadian Milk brand on their products, and more processors will be adding the new branding throughout 2009. Dairy Farmers of Canada will launch the new branding in March and continue working with the full dairy industry over the next year and beyond, to raise industry and consumer awareness of the new 100 percent Canadian Milk brand through an integrated marketing campaign. The campaign will include advertising, public relations and retail activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Describe the new ‘100 percent Canadian Milk’ branding.

The cornerstone of the new 100 percent Canadian Milk branding is comprised of two elements: a modernized cow symbol on a blue drop representing milk and a new ‘100 percent Canadian Milk’ tagline. Together, they express the central message that dairy products with the new brand are made from 100 percent Canadian milk.

By adopting the 100 percent Canadian Milk brand, both farmers and processors are making a commitment that dairy products featuring the brand on their packaging are made from 100 percent Canadian milk.

2. What exactly does the new brand stand for and what message does it give to consumers?

The new 100 percent Canadian Milk brand is a symbol of trust – a confirmation of the Canadian origin of our dairy products. This conveys to consumers that Canadian milk products are made from 100 percent Canadian milk.

3. Why are you evolving from the ‘quality milk’ brand to this new ‘100 percent Canadian Milk’ brand?

Over the last ten years, the original ‘quality milk’ signature was effective at demonstrating to consumers that Canadian dairy products are synonymous with quality. The explicit clarity of the new 100 percent Canadian Milk branding responds to consumer demand for the origin of food products to be clearly identified on the package.

4. What kind of consumer research and testing went into developing this new brand?

Dairy Farmers of Canada has gone through many phases of consumer research in order to better understand Canadian consumers’ attitudes towards the origin and quality of dairy products. Our research confirmed both the origin and the quality of dairy products are major factors in the minds of Canadian consumers when making purchase decisions.

5. What do Canadian consumers think about the quality of Canadian dairy products?

Canadian consumers truly believe Canadian milk and milk products are different from foreign dairy products. Canadians see Canadian milk as being high quality, fresh, safe and free of additives and hormones.

Consumers understand Canadian milk is made by fellow Canadians who live on nearby farms, they contribute to the Canadian economy, and they are produced in keeping with deeply held Canadian values such as respect for the environment, food quality, and animal care.

The new 100 percent Canadian Milk branding clearly indicates the dairy product they are buying is produced in a manner that reflects Canadian values.

6. Do you expect that the new brand will increase sales of Canadian dairy products?

Canadian consumers are telling us they want the origin of the milk in dairy products to be clearly identified on the package.

The explicit clarity of the new 100 percent Canadian Milk branding responds to this consumer demand for the origin of food products to be clearly identified on the package they purchase.

Since we are giving consumers what they want with the new 100 percent Canadian Milk Brand we expect they will look for it and they will buy the dairy products that feature the new brand on the package.

7. When will consumers start to see the new 100 percent Canadian Milk brand in their local grocery stores?

The ‘quality milk’ signature will be phased out as processors sell their inventories over the next few months. Some processors have already put the new 100 percent Canadian Milk brand on their new products, while others will be adding the new branding throughout 2009. Dairy Farmers of Canada will launch the new branding in March 2009 and continue promoting it throughout the year and beyond.

8. How many processors have adopted the new brand?  Which processors?

To date, more than 30 processors including Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Ltd., Scotsburn Dairy Group, Nestlé Canada, Chapman’s Ice Cream, Northumberland Co-operative Ltd., and Amalgamated Dairies Ltd. have adopted the brand for more than 2,000 products, and the numbers are growing everyday.

9. What are Dairy Farmers of Canada’s main objectives for this campaign?

Dairy Farmers of Canada is responding to the increasing demand of Canadian consumers to clearly identify the origin of dairy products and provide a guarantee of their quality. Dairy Farmers of Canada is confident the new program will contribute to increase sales and consumption of Canadian dairy products by providing a clear assurance to consumers the products they are buying are made from 100 percent Canadian milk.

The new brand builds on the equity in the previous ‘quality milk’ signature. By adding the 100 percent Canadian Milk tagline, it makes it very clear to the consumer the product they are buying originates from 100 percent Canadian milk.