Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board Inc

Channel promotions:dairy farmers of wisconsin's (dfw) channel promotions area provides support to supermarket retailers, foodservice operators, wholesalers and distributors through a variety of promotional support programs to drive distribution, sales and awareness of wisconsin artisan and specialty cheese both domestically and internationally. In fy2024 channel promotions continued to adapt our tactics to the marketplace with additional focus on private label (store brands), gaining new authorizations with eight retail and distributor partners. We successfully hosted 25 murray's (kroger) associates for a week of training at the center for dairy research building on our relationship and elevating the perception of wisconsin artisan and specialty cheese.buyer missions, both live in-state and virtual, continue to be one of our best tactics for connecting wisconsin cheese companies and cheese makers with key trade decision makers leading to new authorizations and stronger relationships. We completed a total of 42 buyer missions supporting retail, foodservice and international partners. In addition, we conducted 10 virtual buyer meetings to support our wisconsin dairy companies. The buyer missions and virtual buyer meetings helped support over 360 new item authorizations. We were able to bring the whole foods team back for two separate weeks of training at the center for dairy research to prepare their cheese mongers for the certified cheese professional test administered by the american cheese society. We also supported 15 key trade decision makers at the center for dairy research "world of cheese from pasture to plate" short course.during fy2024 dfw participated in five national trade shows including winter fancy foods, international dairy-deli-bakery association, summer fancy foods, national restaurant association, private label manufacturers association show. Plans are in place to repeat these major industry events for fy2025 where we will support bringing industry buyers to our participating cheese companies.the regional marketing managers combined for 681 campaigns utilizing multiple tactics with 128 targeted retail and foodservice accounts. While retailer print ads continue to drive the category with 189 campaigns, the team also executed 155 digital, e-commerce and social campaigns. The channel promotions team supported over 32 display contests with average sales increases from 30% to 50%. The regional marketing managers combined for 300+ separate campaigns supporting our two major national marketing events - "wonders of wisconsin and "the more the merrier" - impacting over 10,000 retail outlets. The channel programs team helped execute over 68 demo-sampling events, driving additional retail sales. We continue to partner with our retail trade accounts for special events and store traffic building opportunities fueling category growth and excitement.

Food safety, quality and regulatory compliance:dairy farmers of wisconsin's (dfw) food safety, quality and regulatory compliance (fsqr) program provides support to the wisconsin dairy industry primarily through our partnership with the center for dairy research (cdr) at the university of wisconsin madison. Through this partnership, the wisconsin dairy industry is provided needed scientific expertise in both fundamental and applied dairy research, technical support, troubleshooting, and educational offerings.in fy2024, cdr supported 107 different wisconsin dairy processors with food safety, quality, processing, microbiology, and regulatory expertise. They conducted five week-long, in-depth cheese training sessions where approximately 120 retail cheese professionals brought in by dfw learned all aspects of cheese making, safe food handling, and dairy product quality.our partnership with cdr also includes the master cheesemaker program which provides a formal sequence of courses that leads to the title of wisconsin master cheesemaker and equips wisconsin cheesemakers with the knowledge and skills to be competitive in both national and international markets. To date, 112 wisconsin cheesemakers have received 312 certifications in 51 different varieties of cheese. In fy2024, seven new cheesemakers received master certifications, and two returning masters received additional certifications.in addition to cdr support, fsqr conducted hazard analysis critical control point (haccp) training in fy2024. Haccp is a management system in which food safety is addressed through the analysis and control of biological, chemical, and physical hazards from raw material production, procurement and handling, to manufacturing, distribution and consumption of the finished product. Dfw conducted prerequisite haccp, haccp for processors, and advanced haacp training sessions. This provided critical, required food safety and quality training for 26 quality assurance managers across 18 different dairy processors.