CARLINVILLE, Ill. – Prairie Farms Dairy announced that 2016 was a year of honors for its cottage cheese. Awards included two prestigious 1st place wins in the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest and numerous state fair blue ribbons. The company also reported the year ended with a double-digit sales increase, and its cottage cheese significantly outperformed the category by over 20 points.
“It was an honor for Prairie Farms cottage cheese to be recognized as the ‘Best of the Best in North America’ at the World Dairy Expo, and we are very proud of our leading market position. This was our second year of consecutive double-digit volume growth, making Prairie Farms the number-one cottage cheese brand in the Great Lakes Region. In a category that has typically over-indexed toward an older demographic, the resurgence of cooking at home and increased snacking among millennials has helped reposition cottage cheese as a protein-packed option for consumers of all ages,” said Rebecca Leinenbach, Vice President of Marketing and Communications at Prairie Farms. “Our customers recognize the value of supporting local farmers and companies. For over 75 years, they have come to rely on the consistent quality of Prairie Farms’ dairy products. Our cottage cheese is shipped fresh each day from our farmer-owned facilities in Quincy and Carbondale Illinois, and Fort Wayne, Indiana.”
In October, Prairie Farms 4% Cottage Cheese claimed first place in the Regular Cottage Cheese Category at the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest. In the Lowfat/Nonfat Category, Prairie Farms nearly swept the competition, taking 1st and 2nd place awards. Since no other national contest includes all dairy products, this contest, sponsored by the Wisconsin Dairy Products Association, is the only contest of its kind in North America. This affords Prairie Farms the unprecedented opportunity to promote its cottage cheese as “the best of the best” in North America. The company offers a variety of fat levels and sizes, ranging from 4-ounce snack cups to 5-pound multi-serve containers.
According to IRi Multi Outlet volume data, Prairie Farms is the number-one brand of cottage cheese (excluding private label) within the Great Lakes Region (Wis., Mich., Ill., Ind., Ohio), and while retail volume sales for the total cottage cheese category grew just 2.1% in the 52 weeks ending December 25, 2016, Prairie Farms cottage cheese was a top performer with volume growth of 24.3%.
To keep the momentum going in 2017, and celebrate the success of 2016, Prairie Farms has launched the “Best of the Best” cottage cheese campaign that will run through February. The campaign includes social media promotions, a webpage with recipes, giveaways and more.
Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful dairy cooperatives in the Midwest, with over 600 farm families, 5700 employees, 35 manufacturing plants, over 100 distribution facilities and annual sales of over $3 billion. Prairie Farms is a nationally recognized leader in the dairy industry and is known for setting the standard for milk flavor innovations and producing award winning milk and dairy products. With headquarters in Carlinville, Ill., Prairie Farms distribution footprint covers over 30 percent of the United States; products are available in grocery chains, mass merchandiser stores, club stores, convenience stores, dollar stores, drug stores, schools, food service outlets and warehouse distribution centers. Prairie Farms charitable giving program, Our Caps, Your Cause, supports a variety of non-profit organizations. Prairiefarms.com
Source: Prairie Farms Dairy