The state of Australia’s health has been placed in the media spotlight in recent years with reports on childhood obesity, fast-food advertising and high-fat diets forcing food companies to re-evaluate both their products and the way they are marketed to consumers.
The milk manufacturing industry is no exception with consumer perceptions surrounding the fat content of milk being held as a key determinant in its demand.
Dairy Australia’s research concludes that about 40% of women aged 30 to 54 are concerned that consuming dairy will lead to weight gain.
It is no wonder then that the milk manufacturing industry has turned to educating the public through various marketing campaigns that signpost the low fat content of milk as well as its obvious health benefits.
An example being Dairy Australia’s new advertising campaign ‘Dairy good for life’.
Novel product and packaging
Another company taking this approach is A2 Australia, which established itself by filling a niche in the market in 2003; they offer milk containing only a2 protein.
The company now aims to penetrate a more mainstream market.
It hopes to do this through updated packaging and a new marketing campaign, as well as by appealing to consumers’ taste buds as well as their health concerns.
The new packaging will feature people on the labels, making the products more personable, and conveying the message that milk is drunk by young, strong healthy people.
“The images of a healthy young woman enjoying a glass of a2 milk were chosen to appeal to the health-conscious consumer market, those interested in improving their overall wellbeing and fitness,” said A2 Australia CEO Natja Gougoulas.
The company’s website also screams youth and vibrancy and the new packaging will be backed up by a television marketing campaign.
A matter of taste
Gougoulas believes that despite being a young and relatively small company, A2 Australia is penetrating the milk market by offering consumers more than just health benefits.
“One of the key things that has contributed to the success of our product is actually the taste.
“For a lot of people drinking reduced fat, skim or non-fat milk is not appealing because of the watery texture.”
A2 Australia’s milk is homogenised and pasteurised, but nothing is added to give it the creamier consistency and taste.
DNA tests are used to identify cows producing only a2 milk.
These are then all milked together to ensure that the resulting milk contains only a2 protein and maintains its creaminess.
The manufacturing process of the A2 Australia’s milk is unique in the market, which, according to the Food Standards Authority of Australia and New Zealand, is dominated by milk containing a mixture of both a1 and a2 beta-casein protein.