Story From Sustainable Food News, March 2012
Organic Valley, the nation’s largest cooperative of organic farmers and a leading organic dairy brand, has launched Grassmilk, an organic, specialty milk produced from cows eating nothing but fresh grasses and dried forages, like hay, from pastures on California’s North Coast.
La Farge, Wis.-based Organic Valley said it is the only national brand to produce 100 percent grass-fed milk.
More than 76 percent of organic milk consumers want milk from grass-fed cows, according to a 2011 Organic Valley survey of more than 1,000 randomly selected organic milk consumers.
The company said its Grassmilk is a step above the USDA National Organic Program’s pasturing standards by ensuring the cows are 100 percent grass-fed and not fed supplemental grains or soybeans.
The Grassmilk comes in three half-gallon varieties: whole, two-percent and fat-free with a suggested retail price of $5.49. It is minimally processed and non-homogenized, or "cream on top" milk (with exception of the fat-free variety.)
Grassmilk will be available exclusively at west coast Whole Foods Markets in April, and in natural food stores and food cooperatives after that.
Organic Valley reported $715 million in sales for 2011, a 15.3 percent increase. Dairy products represent about 90 percent of OV’s sales, including eggs it’s just over 94 percent.
The company represents 1,687 farmers in 35 states and three Canadian provinces, and produces a variety of organic foods, including organic milk, soy, cheese, butter, spreads, creams, eggs, produce and juice. The company also produces a full range of organic meat under the Organic Prairie Family of Farms label.
Organic Valley Grassmilk will be launched to the market in Anaheim, Calif., at the Natural Products Expo West trade show, booth #2414.
Story courtesy of Sustainable Food News. For subscription information, visit this link.