National Wellness Policy Creates Need For Improved Milk Carton Program

Tetra Pak makes case for increased school milk sales through better carton graphics, in-school marketing and improved formulation

Vernon Hills, IL - As the July 1, 2006 deadline looms for the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act, school districts around the country scramble to adopt their own local school wellness policy that will allow them to continue their enrollment in the National School Lunch Program. As a portion of that act calls for districts to establish nutrition guidelines, Tetra Pak is using recent research to help school districts achieve increased school milk consumption as a key step towards reaching their goals.

Recent publicity surrounding the adoption of plastic bottles as a way to increase school milk sales has created interest in this program. However, many districts are finding the switch to plastic difficult to execute based on the increased cost associated with the more expensive packaging. This has become a paramount concern as districts face increasing budgetary restraints and greater needs associated with other aspects of the local school wellness policy, including nutrition education and physical education programs.

What many schools and parents may not know, is that the tools to achieve impressive increases in student milk consumption are simple, are already available to schools and require no major investment by dairies or school districts.

A recent study in the St. Louis school district conducted by MilkPEP has shown great results in the sale of school milk and the overall meal program through low-cost improvements to the carton program already in place in the majority of schools across the country. Overall, the study found that improved chocolate formulations, increased flavor options and updated graphics led to an overall average increase of 12.2% in student milk consumption over the previous year. Improved chocolate and contemporary graphics were given credit for over one-third of that growth alone. In fact, 60 "best performer" schools saw increases in milk consumption of 34% with these changes.

Through analysis of the study, the economic benefit of the program becomes clear, demonstrating that any increase in cost can be easily offset by increased milk and meal sales. This means that it pays for schools to promote this healthy beverage. And, the health benefits of milk in schools are inarguable. Recent research has shown that kids who consume flavored milk regularly are less likely to consume carbonated soft drinks, and they are also less overweight.

"As an important contributor to the success of school milk programs around the country, Tetra Pak is committed to wellness and is taking its role seriously as an important ally in the effort towards 100% compliance by all schools by the July 1 deadline," said Jeff Kellar, vice president of strategic business development at Tetra Pak. "We are providing all of our partner dairies with the tools to help their school district customers achieve an improved school milk program through cost-efficient and extremely effective improvements to their existing carton programs."

Tetra Pak has recently introduced a SmartCartonÒ program, providing games on the side panels of milk cartons focusing on nutritional education. Students can play the games during the lunch hour and visit www.smartcarton.com to learn more and extend their education in a fun, interactive way. In addition, Tetra Pak has recently distributed a kit to all its dairies that outlines ways for school districts around the country to easily replicate the St. Louis study results. The expectation is that school districts can implement these ideas to help achieve their goals as related to the local school wellness policies.

According to information recently released by the School Nutrition Association, as of January 6, 2006, "just under 6 percent of districts had approved their policy recommendations while about 38 percent have begun by drafting a policy." In addition, just "15.7 percent of respondents indicate(d) having had no activity toward developing a policy." Districts cited several challenges in the implementation, including 37.8 percent who claimed "lack of funding" and 23.1 percent who said "appropriate food and beverage products not available" was the primary concern.

"Given the current adoption challenges, Tetra Pak is taking every opportunity to educate dairies who work with school districts and decision-makers at schools on the benefits of an improved milk carton program," said Kellar. "While plastic bottles have received positive media coverage, many schools are finding that solution is expensive to implement. Our goal is to make the school milk program an easy and attainable way to improve student wellness, allowing schools to focus their efforts and dollars on other important aspects of this all-encompassing policy."

The national wellness policy requires school districts to take parents' views and suggestions into account as they develop their programs. Tetra Pak recommends that parents, teachers, students, and other influencers talk to their food service decision makers and school boards about implementing an improved school milk carton program in the fall, or go to www.smartcarton.com/wellness to learn more.

SOURCE: Tetra Pak