More Younger Consumers Admit They “Got Milk”, Thanks To Enhanced Protein Content

Consumption of liquid milk has been dropping in the U.S. since the 1940s. The number of consumers who drank milk three or more times a day fell from 13 percent in 1977-78 to four percent in 2007-08, according to the USDA’s Economic Research Service. But the fluid milk market may be turning around, thanks to a “flurry of innovation in the cow’s milk sector” that is addressing America’s burgeoning interest in functional foods. Market researchers find that protein- and calcium-enriched milks have attracted consumers aged 15 to 34 looking to boost protein intake. Examples of the new product trend include a Swedish milk that boasts 50 percent more protein, a Japanese milk that claims 1.8 times the protein in regular milk, and an American milk that promises 30 percent more protein and 30 percent less sugar.