The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta, is chasing the protein lover with a return to the original enhanced beverage: milk.
The company’s new fairlife ultra-filtered milk is marketed as providing 50% more protein and 30% less sugar than other milks thanks to a special process developed by Coca-Cola partner Fair Oaks Farms, the same people who brought you the Core Power protein shake.
Coke’s not the only one pushing milk as a protein option. Dean Foods’ TruMoo Protein Plus Milk provides 25 grams of protein and is packaged in a resealable 14-ounce bottle. And MilkPEP, the milk-marketing organization funded by the nation’s milk processors, has launched a multimillion-dollar campaign to educate consumers about the benefits of drinking chocolate milk after a workout.
But these are legacy milk organizations. Milk sales are hurting in c-stores and beyond: In the first half of 2014, milk unit sales dipped 2.9% (after a 6.1% drop in 2013) while dollar sales grew slightly at 1.6%, according to IRI convenience-store data. So why would Coca-Cola Co., with problems to deal with elsewhere, decide now is a good time to get into the milk business?
“It’s a beverage” was the simple answer from Jim Dinkins, Coca-Cola’s chief retail sales officer. “It’s Coke looking at categories where we can reach our consumers in more ways.”
And what does fairlife offer retailers?
“The milk category hasn’t seen much innovation over the years,” says Doug Middlebrooks, assistant vice president of shopper marketing for Coca-Cola Refreshments. “We wanted to change that.”
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