The a2 Milk Co. U.S. and The Hershey Co introduce co-branded chocolate milk; FrieslandCampina releases Gayo Azul Cotija cheese; HP Hood debuts Hood cottage cheese with everything bagel seasoning.
EAT. DRINK. DAIRY.
GRASS-FED SPREADABLE BUTTER
Truly Grass Fed, part of Dublin-based Glanbia, says it added naturally spreadable butter to its line of grass-fed butter and cheese products retailing in the United States. The product made its debut at the 2022 Winter Fancy Food Show, which was held Feb. 6-8 in Las Vegas. The spreadable butter retails in an 8-ounce tub and has a uniform, golden color and smooth mouthfeel, Truly Grass Fed says. It features just two ingredients: fresh sweet cream sourced from grass-fed cows and salt. It contains no plant oils or additives, the brand says. Its natural spreadability comes from softer fats resulting from the Truly Grass Fed pasture-based grazing system and the cows' summertime milk production.
CO-BRANDED CHOCOLATE MILK
The a2 Milk Co. U.S., Boulder, Colo., and The Hershey Co., Hershey, Pa., introduced co-branded chocolate milk, marking Hershey’s first partnership with a premium milk company. The new Hershey’s a2 milk pairs America’s No. 1 milk chocolate brand with one of America’s fastest-growing premium milk brands, the companies say. a2 milk comes from cows that naturally produce only the A2 protein rather than the combination of A1 and A2 proteins contained in most other dairy products. Published research suggests a2 milk may help some people avoid stomach discomfort. The 2% reduced-fat a2 milk began to hit retailers’ shelves in January 2022. It comes in 59-ounce refrigerated cartons, as well as in 8-ounce shelf-stable cartons sold singly and in six-packs and 18-packs.
COTIJA CHEESE
The Gayo Azul brand, part of FrieslandCampina, Paramus, N.J., released Gayo Azul Cotija cheese. It is a slightly salty cheese with a firm, crumbly texture — perfect for enhancing any Hispanic dish. Drawing on the rich heritage of both Dutch and Hispanic cheesemaking, Gayo Azul emphasizes authentic flavor and premium quality. The brand is a multi-generational kitchen staple, recognizable by its Blue Rooster logo — Blue Rooster being the English translation of Gayo Azul. The new Gayo Azul Cotija adds a sharp, slightly salty flavor and a crumbly texture to a variety of dishes, FrieslandCampina says, including street corn, enchiladas, tacos, sandwiches and more. It is a Mexican-style aged, fresh cow’s milk cheese named after Cotija, Mexico. The 8-ounce product can be found at local U.S. grocers throughout the Northeast and Southeast.
ULTRAFILTERED MILK, HALF & HALF
Chobani LLC, New Berlin, N.Y., says it introduced two new dairy platforms, expanding its footprint in the refrigerated aisle: Chobani ultrafiltered milk, a lactose-free, protein-packed ultrafiltered milk; and Chobani half & half. The new items are made from locally sourced milk; like many of the company's other new products, they come in paper-based packaging that is widely recyclable across the United States. Rich and creamy, Chobani ultrafiltered milk is lactose-free and has more protein than the market leader, Chobani says. It is made using a special filtration process to help remove lactose and reduce the sugar by half. The milk is available in whole, reduced fat 2%, fat-free and chocolate varieties. The new Chobani half & half, meanwhile, comes in both classic plain and lactose-free options and is made simply from farm fresh milk and cream.
SAVORY COTTAGE CHEESE
HP Hood, Lynnfield, Mass., launched Hood cottage cheese with everything bagel seasoning. According to the company, the new creation is expertly blended with onion, garlic, flaxseed and poppy seed for the perfect “everything” flavor in every bite. Packed with 13 grams of protein per serving and containing no added sugar, the cottage cheese makes for a great snack, ingredient, spread, topping or dip. Hood cottage cheese with everything bagel seasoning retails in a 16-ounce tub at select retailers in New England and New York. The suggested retail price is $3.59 to $3.79, the company says.
VALUE-ADDED WHOLE MILK
Clover Sonoma, Petaluma, Calif., added two organic plus milks to its Clover the Rainbow line for kids: lactose-free organic whole milk and DHA omega-3 with choline organic whole milk. Sourced from American Humane Certified local Northern California family farms, the two new milk products are the second product and category launch for the Clover the Rainbow brand, which launched in August 2021 with organic yogurt smoothies with fruits and vegetables. The new products have no added sugar, 11 naturally occurring vitamins and minerals, and vitamin D to support the immune system. They are ultra-pasteurized for a longer shelf life (70 days). The lactose-free organic whole milk is high in calcium and has 8 grams of protein per serving. The DHA omega-3 with choline organic whole milk has 100 milligrams of choline to support brain health, 50 milligrams of DHA omega-3 and 8 grams of protein per serving. Clover the Rainbow organic whole milks are currently available at Safeway, Whole Foods Market and independent retailers in California; they have a suggested retail price of $5.99 per 64-ounce carton.
GLUTEN-FREE FROZEN DESSERTS
Alden’s Organic, Eugene, Ore., introduced five organic dairy-free and gluten-free frozen grab-and-go treats under the Alden’s Organic Dairy Free brand. They include a Dark Chocolate Almond bar, which is a vanilla frozen dessert with a rich coating of organic dark chocolate and chunks of crunchy almonds; a Dark Chocolate Vanilla bar, which dips vanilla frozen dessert in super-indulgent organic dark chocolate; a Vanilla Bean Round sammie, which sandwiches vanilla bean frozen dessert between gluten-free chocolate cookie wafers; a Coffee Swirl bar, which is a fair trade mocha dessert with swirls of sweet dairy-free vanilla; and a Strawberry Cream Swirl bar, which features fresh organic cream swirled with real strawberry sorbet. The Strawberry Cream Swirl bar is certified gluten-free, Alden’s Organic says, while the other products are both certified gluten-free and certified vegan. The sammie has a suggested retail price of $7.99 for a four-count box; the other products have a suggested retail price of $6.49 for a four-count box. The new products are currently on shelf at Sprouts and Natural Grocers stores nationwide.
RUBBED FONTAL VARIETALS
Schuman Cheese, Fairfield, N.J., launched two new rubbed fontal varietals under its Cello brand. Hand rubbed with vibrant spice blends from around the globe, Cello’s rubbed fontal cheeses give cheese lovers an entirely new and exciting flavor experience. The flavors include Toasted Chili & Spice, a creamy cow’s milk cheese hand-rubbed with toasted chilies, Szechuan peppercorn and spices, and Sweet Garden Tomato, a creamy cow’s milk cheese hand-rubbed with sweet vine-ripened tomato and savory herbs. Both new products have a suggested retail price of $4.00 per 5-ounce wedge.
All images were provided by their respective companies. Used with permission. Company links available in the Editorial Index.
APRIL 2022 | dairyfoods.com