free range milk, cow grazing

 

Publishing: 17 Sept

Advertising deadline: 12 Aug (subject to availability)

Submissions deadline: 25 July

Download the full synopsis here.

Theme: The Dairymen action plan for British dairy

In June, the UK voted to leave the EU – triggering a wave of uncertainty and instability that added further pressure to the already turbulent dairy industry. Although the exact implications of Brexit are unclear (with some welcoming it and others fearful) it will inevitably have a major impact on dairy.

The Brexit vote came as the British dairy industry warned it was on the verge of disaster, with an imminent mass exit by farmers amid plummeting prices and widespread challenges.

So what should the industry be doing to restore stability and return to growth? This year’s Dairymen brings together some of the most brilliant thinkers and entrepreneurs in UK dairy to come up with an action plan for the British dairy industry through Brexit and beyond.

 

Features:

Views from the Top - Brexit special: By invitation only

The vote on Brexit has been cast, so what does it mean for British dairy? We quiz leading figures from the dairy industry on the implications.

Creative challenge Stimulating consumption: Carina Perkins Carina.perkins@wrbm.com

One of the biggest challenges for dairy is falling consumption. Teenage girls in particular are under indexing on dairy – with implications for their health as well as industry sales. While generic marketing campaigns exist, they are clearly not doing enough to engage this important target groups.

So how can we re-invent milk marketing for the 21st Century? We ask a marketing agency to come up with a campaign and full activation plan including new media channels such as YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and SnapChat. We will set up actual profiles to demonstrate and link them to our online coverage.

Making a stand on health: James Halliwell james.halliwell@wrbm.com

Health messages are confusing, and dairy is in danger of being caught up in some very mixed messages. We gauge consumer perspectives on the health credentials of dairy, and speak to industry experts on how the industry can reinforce positive health messages on dairy. We will also pay particular attention to recent research suggesting milk is the best thirst quencher and ask how UK dairy can do more to promote milk as a sports drink.

Championing excellence in retailing: Kevin White kevin.white@wrbm.com

Retailers have a huge part to play in stimulating consumer demand for dairy products, promote the category and help processors and producers get the most value out of their products. So who are the best practice pioneers around merchandising and ranging? As part of our ‘action plan for dairy’, we put the spotlight on five dairy fixtures from around the country that impress – and ask our retailing/merchandising experts to pinpoint exactly why they work.

Who is doing well in dairy? Carina Perkins carina.perkins@wrbm.com

The prevailing narrative is one of doom and gloom, but there are UK dairy companies – particularly medium sized ones - that are managing to do well. We profile 10 of them and ask them how they have managed to succeed despite the tough trading climate.

Waste Not Want Not: Megan Tatum megan.tatum@wrbm.com

The equivalent of around 6 million glasses of milk are thrown away each day UK homes, and even more dairy is being wasted in supply chains. But the industry claims it is committed to tackling food waste – with Dairy UK signing up to the Courtauld Commitment 2050 and some big players backing The Grocer’s Waste Not Want Not campaign. So how dairy is doing its bit to fight food waste – and what more could be done?

Big Interview: by invitation only

Supplier profile: by invitation only

 

Focus On Features:

Cheddar: Nick Hughes nickjhughes@hotmail.co.uk

Cheddar has been a major victim of recent supermarket range rationalisation. So as the crumbs settle on the cheese aisles, what was the outcome? Who were the winners and losers? And what are the brands doing to ensure they remain on shelf in the future?

Continental: Maddie Maynard mmaynard@uwclub.net

As UK consumers continue to develop more adventurous taste when it comes to cheese, what are the latest trends in continental? Are there any new big players in the market? And what do we predict will be the next big cheese?

Dairy Drinks: Daniel Selwood Daniel.selwood@wrbm.com

The war on sugar has firmly arrived in the dairy drinks category, with no sugar variants of flavoured milks being launched and range extensions for existing products. But not all low-sugar drinks have proven successful so what is the secret for success when it comes to reducing sugar in dairy drinks, and will the health debate have any impact on the indulgent end of the market?

Milk: Nick Hughes nickjhughes@hotmail.co.uk

After years of remaining relatively static, fresh milk has enjoyed a wave of NPD of late. So do these products have genuine staying power? What other NPD are we likely to see? And what do consumers really want from the category?

Butters, Spreads & Margarine: Natalie Brown natalie_brown@live.co.uk

As The Grocer reported in June, the retail value of this sector is melting away fast following massive price cuts on own label and the rationalisation of branded ranges. So which retailers have driven own label’s 5.5% volume growth in butters & spreads? How have own label lines evolved in the past year? Which brands have suffered (and benefitted) from range rationalisation? And what do slumping butter prices mean for dairy farmers?

Dairy alternatives: Carina Perkins carina.perkins@wrbm.com

Dairy alternatives are now an established part of the dairy aisles, but they rely on very different supply chains to cow milk. So as demand for soy, almond and coconut milk goes through the roof, what are the major processors doing to secure future raw material supplies and boost manufacturing capacity?

Ice Cream: Beth Gault beth.gault@wrbm.com

Authentic Italian ice cream is all the rage right now, with Brits going mad for gelato as they search for something a little more special for their freezers. So who’s doing what in this fast growing part of the market? How big can it get? Of course, Italy isn’t the only country with its own style of the cold stuff- with everything from Thai to Turkish ice cream starting to make waves globally. So what are the coolest ice cream trends emerging from around the world? And which are the most likely to make it to the UK?

Yoghurts: Emma Sturgess emma-sturgess@hotmail.co.uk

Yoghurt sales aren’t exactly flying overall, but some sub-categories are seeing strong growth. So how are the retailers reacting to these emerging trends? What have they done in terms of their yoghurt ranges? And is the category facing the same range rationalisation seen elsewhere in dairy?

Dairy for kids: Emma Sturgess emma-sturgess@hotmail.co.uk

MPs recently called for a 3-a-day programme for dairy products to help boost consumption and promote healthy lifestyles, particularly among children. So what are brands doing to target kids, and how successful are these products?