Dairy: Food for Life
A S T R AT E G Y T O P R O M O T E I R I S H M I L K
& DAIRY PRODUCTS 2008 - 2012
Executive Summary
A Strategy to Promote Irish Milk & Dairy Products 2008 - 2012
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Executive Summary
Background to the NDC
The National Dairy Council (“NDC”), formerly known as the National Dairy Publicity Council, was established in 1964
with the key objective of maintaining and supporting growth in consumption of milk and dairy products in Ireland.
Originally founded as a semi-state body, the organisation evolved to become an industry-funded organisation
subsequent to Ireland joining the EEC in 1973. Initially financed through a combination of Exchequer and EU funding
and now largely by the farmer levy, the NDC quickly found its place at the forefront of industry, gaining prominence as
the spokesperson on dairy matters and undertaking many high profile advertising campaigns and promotional events.
The Council’s role in the generic promotion of milk and dairy products presided through many changes that took place
both at industry and at market level. In 1978, the organisation was one of the first food agencies in Ireland to employ a
nutritionist in recognition of the need to promote the health and nutritional benefits of dairy products amidst increased
consumer interest in healthy eating.
This ongoing need to inform and educate the Irish public on the goodness and nutritional value of dairy products has
continued to act as the key focal point for the organisation and has been manifested through several high profile TV
advertising campaigns in recent years.
Strategic Review Process
In September 2007, the Board of the NDC decided to embark on a strategic review of the organisation and its activities
with the aim of developing a clear roadmap for the future, encompassed in a new five year strategic plan (2008-2012).
Notwithstanding the successes of the past, this decision was taken by the Board to ensure that the organisation would
continue to deliver services of real value and relevance to the Irish dairy sector into the future.
Central to the development of this strategy was the review and consultation process undertaken, which involved
significant engagement with key stakeholder groups involved in the dairy sector including:
•
Farmers – over 120 farmers completed a questionnaire at the National Ploughing Championships and Millstreet National Dairy Show;
•
Co-operatives/Dairy Processors – the NDC CEO met with senior management/Boards of dairy processors in addition to senior management and Board of the Irish Dairy Board;
•
Dairy Representative Organisations – IFA Dairy Committee; ICMSA; National Milk Agency; National Dairies Association; Irish Dairy Industry Association; IFA Fresh Milk Producers Group;
•
Government Departments/Agencies – Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food, Food Safety Authority, Safefood;
•
Media – CEO meetings with a cross-section of media correspondents involved in the food/dairy sector;
•
Consumers – a series of consumer focus groups were undertaken in addition to a nationally representative survey on consumer attitudes towards milk and dairy products.
In addition, as part of the review process, the study of twelve international comparable models provided the
opportunity to compare the existing business model of the NDC with other similar organisations. Equally, the roles of
collective bodies including the International Dairy Federation (IDF), International Milk Promotion Group (IMP) and the
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A Strategy to Promote Irish Milk & Dairy Products 2008 - 2012
newly established Global Dairy Platform (GDP) served in understanding the benefits of international networking and
collective thinking on dairy-related issues.
On concluding this process, it was very clear that the NDC had reached a watershed in its life and needed to reposition its services to become a key agency in the dairy support infrastructure. However, while there were several
critical messages emerging from the consultation process, there was also a very strong consensus view expressed in
the need for the organisation more than ever in today’s changing environment.
The strong core message was that the NDC had performed an important function in the past but that the
challenging market and consumer trends mean that its future role must undergo fundamental change in order for
the organisation to retain its relevance.
The support of existing stakeholders therefore, who continue to fund the organisation, particularly through this
transition period, is recognised in this respect and serves as a strong endorsement of the potential role the NDC can
play in the future to support the sector.
The Dairy Sector in Context
Ireland’s long tradition in dairying has led to the well-established dairy industry that exists today, internationally
recognised for its innovation, technological, marketing and brand capability. Providing employment for just over
22,000 farmers, 9,000 employees in the processing industry and an additional 4,500 positions in support and
ancillary services, the dairy sector forms the largest component of Ireland’s food and drink industry exporting €2.36
billion annually and representing 27% of all food and drink exports.
Producing an estimated 5,235 million litres per annum, the sector has evolved from a narrow product portfolio
position dominated by butter to a more diversified range reflecting the technology depth in the sector and the
effective value-added business model adopted. In this context, 2007 saw €114 million awarded by the Department
of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food towards supporting developments in innovation, increased productivity and new
product development to further drive the competitiveness of the sector.
Equally, at farming level, the sector has experienced major changes with rationalisation occurring in recent years
and this is expected to continue. The number of dairy farmers has reduced from 68,000 in 1984 to the current figure
of just over 22,000 and this has resulted in larger farm sizes and increases in the average quota to the current level
of 231,000 litres. Amidst this change, there have been major developments at farm level with almost €1.5 billion
invested between 2007 and 2008.
The future potential of the sector is therefore recognised with the prospect for market expansion and growth
envisaged despite the uncertainty of evolving WTO negotiations and the CAP Health Check reforms. The absence
of public stocks within the EU is a particular feature of this positive outlook for dairy product prices with the
International Dairy Federation (IDF) stating that “the current surge in demand is not just current and has been
present over a number of years, but a significant amount of “new” demand has been met from Intervention stocks
which have now disappeared.”
Combined with a number of international factors including projected world population growth, energy prices,
increased fuel demand and demand for renewable energy resources, climatic effects, growing demand for dairy
A Strategy to Promote Irish Milk & Dairy Products 2008 - 2012
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products in China and India and the prospect of quota abolition, this new price paradigm emanating from the changed
supply and demand profile is in sharp contrast to both the intent and expectation of the reform of the EU dairy market
support system which began in 2005.
Given the positive international outlook together with strong potential within the home market, the relative
competitive position of the Irish dairy sector augers well for future prosperity.
Ireland’s Changing Market Landscape for Milk and Dairy Products
The Irish market for milk and dairy products remains significant, valued at €1 billion with high levels of market
penetration achieved. However, this enviable market position continues to be challenged in light of competing
categories, dairy-free alternatives and health-related concerns, particularly in relation to cholesterol and recommended
daily fat intake levels.
While the market is significant in size, on closer analysis, sales have reached a mature stage and for some products, are
largely static or showing signs of decline.
Table 1(a): Performance of Irish Dairy Market (2001-2007)
Value of Irish
Dairy Market
Source: Mintel/CSO
2001 (€ m)
2002 (€ m)
2003 (€ m)
2004 (€ m)
2005 (€ m)
2006 (€ m)
2007 (€ m)
820
851
868
901
925
957
981
Table 1(b): Projected Growth of Irish Dairy Market (2008-2012)
Value of Irish Dairy Market
Source: Mintel/CSO
2008 (€ m)
2009 (€ m)
2010 (€ m)
2011 (€ m)
2012 (€ m)
1,008
1,035
1,062
1,088
1,115
As is illustrated, the market grew by 17% to €957 million over the 2001-2006 period and is projected to grow by 11%
from 2008 up to 2012 to €1.115 billion. Milk forms a major component of sales, representing 44% of total sales at just
over €440 million and remains largely static but showing signs of decline, while doorstep delivery continues to decline
representing just over 7% of total sales today.
Opportunities for growth in butter, cheese and yogurt still remain positive and are largely being driven by innovation
in new flavours, product varieties, portion sizes and pack formats to meet changing consumer demands. Increased
focus on health issues will be a critical factor for the future, particularly for butter and cheese as will the continued
competition from international brands.
A key feature of retail sales is the growing dominance of private label, particularly for milk, with retailers holding an
estimated 50% of market share for fresh milk and continuing to win share from competing branded products. This
poses a number of key concerns for industry in relation to the commoditisation of product and the consequent
downward pressure on pricing.
At consumer level, the prospects for the sector are positive with Ireland continuing to enjoy economic growth and
despite a global slowdown, prospects remain good with Ireland’s economic growth level projected to grow at 2% per
annum up to 2015.
There are a number of key changes in the consumer landscape that pose both challenges and opportunities for milk
and dairy products. Domestic demand should grow on the basis of population projections from the Central Statistics
Office, which forecast an increase of 20% in population up to over 5 million by 2021. However, with Ireland becoming a
country of net immigration, this will be challenging as some of the migrant population are entering from geographies
where milk and dairy consumption is not established within the mainstay dietary habits.
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A Strategy to Promote Irish Milk & Dairy Products 2008 - 2012
The continued strong birth rates demonstrate potential for milk and dairy products as does the growing ageing
population and increased life expectancy. Also, the general increased focus on health and wellbeing and the link
with diet is driving consumers to take a greater interest in healthy eating and a desire for natural foods despite the
growing problems of obesity, particularly amongst the younger generation.
Time pressures, long commuting distances, smaller household sizes and less time spent on food preparation are
leading to over reliance on convenience foods and inadequate nutrient intake. Given the nutritional value of
dairy foods, it will be critical to retain strong consumption levels for the future. Milk and dairy products are well
positioned from a health and nutrition perspective but face strong competition from heavily marketed brands with
subsequent intake of dairy foods below the three portions per day recommended by the Department of Health and
Children.
In addition, consumers are becoming more “issue” driven considering ethical issues and environmental issues when
making food choices. Terms such as “food miles” and “carbon footprints” are now commonly used and can determine
purchasing decisions, which also has important implications for the dairy sector.
Given the anticipated demographic changes and the increased consumer desire for products that are both natural
and healthy, the market outlook for milk and dairy is positive and provides the backdrop for the development of the
future roadmap for the NDC.
However, the evolving complexities and dynamics pose real challenges for the future in driving the positive
position and consumption of dairy foods. This will require a detailed understanding of the market and effective
communications and marketing strategies to be deployed.
Vision
In this regard, the NDC’s vision is:
………to be the authoritative and trusted voice in advancing
the consumer perception and consumption of Irish milk and
dairy products.
The realisation of this vision will help to position the NDC as an important contributor to the sustainability and
growth of milk and dairy in Ireland.
The Board and management of the NDC are ever mindful of the fact that as an organisation, it is funded by the
dairy farmers of Ireland. As such, their interests and the long-term sustainability of the sector are at the heart of the
organisation’s raison d’être.
Mission
Thus, the mission of the NDC is:
………to support Irish dairy farmers by driving the positive position
and consumption of milk and dairy products through integrated
marketing and communications programmes, based on informed
scientific evidence.
Delivering on this mission will result in many benefits to the sector, not least the strengthening of the position of
milk and dairy in the minds of consumers, more informed and streamlined lines of communication to various media
and interest groups as well as back into the sector, resulting in an uplift in the consumption of milk and dairy within
the home market.
A Strategy to Promote Irish Milk & Dairy Products 2008 - 2012
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Core Values
The values that the NDC wish to convey and embed in the culture and ways-of-working of the organisation are
encapsulated in the diagram below.
I nn
va
For
wa
rd
e
tiv
oo
-L
o
Figure 1: National Dairy Council’s Core Values
king
sib
r
ho
Aut
ita
le
Trusted
tiv
e
es
c
c
A
Trusted:
The NDC will seek to build trust with key stakeholder groups through the provision of well-informed and balanced
views and information.
Innovative:
The NDC will strive to be innovative, bringing new ideas and a fresh approach to the work undertaken.
Forward-looking:
The NDC will endeavour to be forward-looking, pre-empting issues and matters of interest and importance to the
funders and the milk and dairy sector.
Authoritative:
The NDC will ensure that the views and opinions of the organisation are rooted in robust scientific research so that it
can speak with authority.
Accessible:
The NDC will at all times engage openly with the many stakeholder groups and be accessible and responsive.
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A Strategy to Promote Irish Milk & Dairy Products 2008 - 2012
Strategic Objectives
Consistent with, and underpinning, the Vision and Mission for the organisation, the NDC aims to achieve the
following between 2008 and 2012.
1. Enhance the position and image of milk and dairy products through a proactive and well-informed advocacy and communications strategy.
2. Increase the consumption of milk by young people by leading the re-vitalisation of the School Milk
Scheme at primary and secondary levels.
3. Strengthen the position and image of milk and dairy in terms of usage and attitudes amongst all target consumer segments by means of more informed market research and delivery of effective marketing campaigns.
4. Inform, advise and publicly represent the milk and dairy industry through building a systematic approach to, and competency in, Issues Management.
5. Be recognised as the national centre of knowledge on dairy nutrition and related matters of importance
to consumers.
6. Restructure and develop the NDC as a competent, efficient and effective organisation operating to a
high standard of integrity and accountability, thereby delivering value to funders and key stakeholders.
Success or otherwise in the attainment of these objectives will be the main basis on which the success of the NDC
will be evaluated.
The achievement of these objectives requires the NDC to engage in a wide range of activities which are organised
into discrete work programmes.
A Strategy to Promote Irish Milk & Dairy Products 2008 - 2012
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Outline of Work Programmes
There are six key work programmes which correlate to a specific strategic objective:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Advocacy & Communications Programme
School Milk & Dairy Programme
Marketing & Promotion Programme
Issues Management Programme
Nutrition Programme
Accountability & Corporate Governance Programme
The overall aims of these work programmes are summarised in Figure 2.
Figure 2: Summary of National Dairy Council Work Programmes
NationalDairyCouncil-KeyWorkProgrammes
Advocacy
&
Communications
SchoolMilk
&Dairy
Programme
Marketing
&Promotion
Issues
Management
Nutrition
Accountability&
Governance
Act as the trusted
advocate for the
Irish dairy sector &
implement
a proactive
communications
strategy
Lead the
development of a
new consumer focused School
Milk &
Dairy Programme
Strengthen the
position and image
of Irish milk and dairy
products through
effective targeted
marketing campaigns
based on informed
market insight
Develop and
implement an
Issues Management
Plan for the dairy
sector on consumer
matters
Be recognised
as the national
centre of
knowledge on
dairy nutrition
Develop the NDC
as an efficient,
competent
organisation
delivering value to
its members
1. Advocacy & Communications Programme
Fundamental to the success of the Irish dairy sector is the necessity to ensure that milk and dairy products are
positioned positively within the minds of consumers. This requires a concerted effort to combat the unsubstantiated,
inaccurate facts and misinformation that are currently being provided to consumers.
The purpose of the Advocacy & Communications Programme therefore, is to establish the NDC as the trusted and
respected advocate for the Irish dairy sector and to take a proactive approach in communicating the health and
nutritional benefits of milk and dairy products to the consumer.
In order to achieve this, the programme will be based on informed scientific evidence, distilled into user-friendly
arguments, which will form the basis of specific communications campaigns for key target groups. In this context,
it is recognised that the key target may not always be the consumer but groups who are important influencers on
consumer purchasing decisions (e.g.. medical profession, media).
Information will also be prepared and relayed specifically for NDC members with the redevelopment of the NDC’s web
site acting as a central communications platform in this respect, in facilitating regular updates, newsletters or alerts as
required.
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A Strategy to Promote Irish Milk & Dairy Products 2008 - 2012
The success of the NDC’s role as an advocate will be determined by the level of recognition of the NDC as the first
point of contact on all matters related to the consumption of dairy products and the subsequent recognition of the
messages communicated by the NDC to the various stakeholder groups.
2. School Milk & Dairy Programme
The School Milk Scheme has operated in Ireland since 1982 with 3.2 million gallons of milk sold at its peak in 1983.
The continued decline in participation in the scheme and the lack of drive to market milk and dairy products more
appealingly to young people is a fundamental concern for the sector with the School Milk Scheme seen as the
vehicle to drive the consumer base for the future.
The main goal of the School Milk & Dairy Programme therefore, is to lead the revitalisation of the School Milk
Scheme and to obtain increased participation by children and teenagers in addition to increasing the number of
schools involved nationally.
The new School Milk & Dairy Programme will seek to address key weaknesses within the existing scheme and will
offer a more attractive and appealing product to children and teenagers, in addition to supporting that offering
with significant marketing support.
The key deliverable for this programme will be to increase consumption of milk and other dairy products through the
new programme in co-operation with NDC member dairies and through delivering a co-ordinated marketing drive
to strengthen the position of milk and dairy products in the 5-18 year age bracket.
3. Marketing & Promotion Programme
In parallel with undertaking specific communications campaigns, the need to maintain the visibility of milk and
dairy products at consumer level and reinforce their relevance to consumer lifestyles is critical to support and drive
consumption.
The purpose of the Marketing & Promotion Programme in this respect is to strengthen the image and position of
dairy products in a way that is meaningful and impactful for consumers. Critical to this programme will be to gain
deeper insight into consumer behaviour through establishing a more informed market insight tool to understand
purchasing and usage behaviour in addition to attitudes, drivers and motivations within specific consumer
segments.
This will facilitate the development of targeted marketing and promotion campaigns that will allow the NDC to
inform, educate and strengthen the image and perception of dairy products. Consideration of appropriate tools
and media geared to specific audiences will be necessary in addition to considering the potential for developing a
quality/eco mark for members to allow for product differentiation at the point of purchase.
Through building knowledge and insight of the market, the NDC will deliver effective marketing campaigns to
targeted consumer segments that complement and support NDC members’ marketing and brand activity.
4. Issues Management Programme
While the Irish dairy sector has not suffered any significant crisis in consumer confidence to date, the importance
of identifying potential issues and the management of these issues is believed critical to the success of the strategy
and the continued safe passage of the industry.
In this context, the aim of the Issues Management Programme, is to ensure that the interests and concerns of the
consumer are understood and prioritised in order to maintain their trust in the health and nutritional benefits of
milk and dairy products.
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The NDC’s programme will be based on partnering and co-operating across several fields of expertise and will centre
on the establishment of a National Issues Management Committee, comprised of industry representatives in addition
to technical, scientific and nutritional experts as required.
By developing a comprehensive Issues Management Plan, the NDC will ensure that the objectives and targets of the
strategy can be achieved while reducing the risk of exposure to unforeseen circumstances or threats that may arise.
5. Nutrition Programme
Milk and dairy products contain a wide range of essential nutrients required for growth, development and overall
health and wellbeing throughout one’s life cycle. Given such health properties which are scientifically robust and
well-documented, the NDC is concerned at the confusing and sometimes inaccurate beliefs and perceptions held by
consumers.
The aim of the Nutrition Programme therefore, is to provide the basis and foundation for communicating, marketing
and promoting milk and dairy products to key target groups. The NDC will therefore strengthen the existing nutrition
advisory service by widening the existing network and proactively interacting in the areas of clinical nutrition,
community nutrition, business, industry research and education.
This will also require the NDC to adopt a more authoritative approach in working to assist in shaping future policy and
the regulatory framework in which the dairy sector operates.
Forming the foundation for other programmes within the strategy and providing a solid scientific basis for the
development of key messages to combat inaccurate and misinformation is the required deliverable. The key outcome
therefore, is to position the NDC as a key centre of nutrition science and knowledge supporting the role of dairy foods as
an integral part of a balanced diet and life style.
6. Accountability & Corporate Governance Programme
As an externally funded body, the NDC is accountable to its supporters with the need to ensure that the organisation
operates to a high standard of integrity. Equally critical to the success of the strategy is to ensure that the organisation
is equipped with the appropriate skills and competence in order to drive the implementation of the strategy effectively.
The purpose of the Accountability & Corporate Governance Programme therefore, is to restructure and develop the
NDC as a competent, efficient and effective organisation that has the respect of its stakeholders and funders.
This requires a restructuring programme to be undertaken in order to right-size the organisation, deploy the required
set of competencies to deliver upon the strategy and to review the internal efficiencies of key functions carried out.
In addition, the programme will create the appropriate corporate governance structures, policies and procedures
thereby encompassing the role and responsibilities of the Board, improving the overall integrity of the organisation.
While being different from the development programmes, this programme is viewed as a priority within the strategy in
order to rebuild and maintain confidence in the work of the organisation, the success of which will be determined by the
continuation and expansion of the funding required to implement the strategy.
Investment Plan
Over the period 2008–2012, the NDC aims to invest €14 million in strengthening the position and driving the
consumption of milk and dairy products. This is an unprecedented level of investment, which is essentially being made
available by the dairy farmers of Ireland through the levy contribution. It is also important to acknowledge the annual
contribution made by the Irish Dairy Board to the NDC, which is much appreciated.
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A Strategy to Promote Irish Milk & Dairy Products 2008 - 2012
However, the investment of €14 million is based on the current levy received from the industry and there is no
doubt that the strategy will be further strengthened by the increased levy contribution of current non-members.
An illustrative breakdown of this investment programme over the key strategic areas of the plan is outlined below.
Table 2: NDC Planned Investment 2008-2012
2008
€m
2009
€m
2010
€m
2011
€m
2012
€m
Total
€m
% of total
Advocacy & Communications
Programme
0.3
0.5
0.5
0.6
0.6
2.5
18%
School Milk & Dairy Programme
0.45
0.7
0.8
0.8
0.8
3.55
25%
Marketing & Promotion Programme
1
1.2
1.2
1.3
1.3
6
43%
Issues Management Programme
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
0.1
0.7
5%
Nutrition Programme
0.25
0.25
0.25
0.25
0.25
1.25
9%
Total Investment
2.2
2.85
2.85
3.05
3.05
14
100%
The School Milk & Dairy Programme together with the Marketing & Promotion Programme represent the two most
significant areas for investment, at just under 68% of the total.
At all times, it is intended to have a reserve of circa €1 million as a contingency fund in the event of an unforeseen
event which requires immediate attention by the NDC.
In making this level of investment, the NDC is mindful of the need to deliver real value to its funders and
stakeholders, and in executing the proposed work programmes, delivering value-for-money will be a key priority.
What the Strategy Aims to Deliver
As the NDC is not directly engaged in sales, it is believed particularly important to demonstrate the impact and
value of the work programmes to both funders and stakeholders. CSO/Mintel projections for dairy are positive in
forecasting an 11% increase over the 2008-2012 period to a total market value of €1.15 billion. In this capacity, the
role of the NDC is to ensure that the programmes implemented within the context of the strategy, have a direct
impact on helping to achieve this growth.
Based on the overall need to strengthen the position and image of milk and dairy products, omnibus research
was commissioned by the NDC for the purpose of establishing baseline indicators on current consumer attitudes
amongst the adult population (15+ years) in Ireland. The fieldwork was undertaken in April 2008 by TNS/MRBI and
involved a nationally representative sample of 1,017 adults. The results proved very interesting in establishing a
number of key issues at consumer level:
•
•
•
While encourageingly, 4 in 5 adults claim to consume milk every day, over 25% disagree that they will consume more in the future. This is despite the fact that 94% believe milk provides key nutritional benefits for their health and wellbeing.
This likelihood of consumption also appears to decline with age (e.g. 86% of 15-24 year olds vs. 65% of 55+ claims they will consume more milk in the future) underlining the need to generate increased frequency of consumption. Furthermore, 4 in 5 adults are of the opinion that teenagers are not consuming enough milk demonstrating the awareness of this key issue highlighted in the recent Teen Survey (IUNA 2008).
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•
•
•
•
•
•
31% of the population disagree that milk is a natural, unprocessed food indicating the need to promote the natural image of milk with the linkage back to the farm/producer required for reassurance in this respect.
In addition, with 17% of the population believing that milk is harmful to their health, the focus on the nutritional benefits and health properties of milk is critical for the future.
Interestingly as well, about half of all adults believe soya milk is equally as good as cow’s milk, highlighting the growth and success of alternatives to dairy and presenting a clear challenge for the dairy sector.
While 90% of adults believe cheese is an essential source of calcium, there are clear health concerns regarding cholesterol and fat being detrimental to health.
Equally, the same concerns are expressed for butter particularly in the older age groups with 25% of those 55+ claiming to never use butter while 38% of all adults claim to be trying to cut down on using butter.
Finally, at a more general level, over 25% of adults believe they do not consume the recommended
three servings of dairy per day for their health and wellbeing, which demonstrates both a challenge and opportunity to increase consumption frequency.
The results of the research have been analysed to create a set of performance indicators based on achieving consumer
attitudinal shifts in key areas over the 2008-2012 period. These are illustrated below in Table 3 and show a projected
5-10% change over the five-year period, which will be tracked and monitored on an annual basis.
Table 3: Key Performance Indicators for National Dairy Council 2008-2012
2008
Agree
2012
Agree
% Change
Milk plays a vital role as part of a healthy
balanced diet
53%
58-63%
+5-10%
Milk is a natural unprocessed food
69%
74-79%
+5-10%
Milk is something I will consume more of in the
future
71%
76-81%
+5-10%
Butter can be consumed as part of a healthy
balanced diet
44%
49-54%
+5-10%
Cheese is beneficial to my health and is not
fattening/detrimental if consumed in moderation
55%
60-65%
+5-10%
It is important for one’s health to consume three
portions of dairy per day
71%
76-81%
+5-10%
Consumer Attitudes to Milk & Dairy Products
Source: TNS Phonebus Survey 2008
Aside from these indicators, specific targets have also been set for the School Milk & Dairy Programme, which are
shown in Table 4 below.
Table 4: Key Performance Indicators for School Milk & Dairy Programme 2008-2012
School Milk & Dairy Programme
Number of pupils/students participating
Litres of milk consumed (million)
2008
2012
% Change
85,000*
114,750-127,500
+35-50%
3.7*
4.9-5.5
+35-50%
* Most recent figures by Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Food (2004)
In the partnership with NDC member dairies, it is targeted to increase the current pupil/student numbers participating
in the School Milk Scheme by 35-50% up to a projected level of 127,500. In achieving this increase in participation, it is
projected that milk consumption can increase from the current 3.7 million litres up to a potential 5.5 million litres.
Central to the implementation of the strategy will be the continued evaluation of investment against these targets in
measuring the overall effectiveness of the work programmes in achieving the strategic objectives set out.
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A Strategy to Promote Irish Milk & Dairy Products 2008 - 2012
The National Dairy Council
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Dublin 2, Ireland
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+353 (0)1 616 9726
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www.ndc.ie