SYRACUSE, N.Y. – American Dairy Association North East is creating new opportunities for students to enjoy milk in schools with its Hot Chocolate Milk and Moo Lattes programs.
With schools already offering milk as an option with reimbursable meals, warming up chocolate milk is easy and provides a fun option for students to enjoy as their milk choice.
“We launched our Hot Chocolate Milk pilot program in 2018 to encourage students to consume more milk by providing options during school meals,” said ADA North East CEO John Chrisman. “Our first pilot programs showed an increase in school meal participation which directly correlates to a higher take rate of milk by students, boosting sales.
“Ensuring students have access to milk and dairy helps keep them nourished and ready to learn. It’s a win for everyone.”
For example, the pilot program in two Rochester City Schools in New York saw a combined increase in 8-ounce milk servings by 41%.
Subsequently, the ADA North East Hot Chocolate Milk campaign was rolled out across the region, enabling schools to apply for promotional materials, starter kits with recipes and best practices recommendations, and equipment to launch their own programs.
To-date, more than 140 new districts have joined the Hot Chocolate Milk initiative, resulting in an increase in milk sales and school meal participation, showing its appeal and popularity with students. Schools can offer it as a grab-and-go option, through in-classroom delivery, and in the cafeteria.
ADA North East also started a pilot program for its Moo Latte Program. Three New York school districts implemented the program with school meals, and results showed increases in milk sales during meal periods. One participating school increased 8-ounce milk servings by 53%, with an additional 543 servings in a one-week period.
To learn more about Hot Chocolate Milk and Moo Lattes, visit AmericanDairy.com and click on “In Schools,” or call American Dairy Association North East at 315.472.9143.
About American Dairy Association North East
American Dairy Association North East (ADA North East) is the dairy farmer-funded organization funded by participating dairy farmer’s checkoff investment to build demand and sales for milk and dairy foods throughout the local region. Representing nearly 8,500 dairy farm families in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and northern Virginia, ADA North East develops and implements local programs to drive milk and dairy sales at retail outlets and in schools. The organization also conducts consumer education about dairy through events, traditional and social media, and in collaboration with health professionals through National Dairy Council®. ADA North East works closely with Dairy Management Inc.™, the national dairy checkoff organization, to support nutrition research, national partnerships and developing export markets for dairy to bring a fully integrated promotion program to the region. For more information, visit www.AmericanDairy.com.
