The milks are contract-packaged by Shamrock Foods (Phoenix, AZ) at the company’s new Extended Shelf Life (ESL) facility. White pigmented bottles are blow-molded by Reid Plastics (Diamond Bar, CA). A 2-mil polyvinyl chloride shrink-sleeve label printed gravure in eight colors is imported by Osio Intl. (Anaheim, CA). Topping the bottle is a continuous-thread closure from Kerr Group (Lancaster, PA). The injection-molded polypropylene closure includes an induction-sealed foil liner that provides tamper-evidence. The liner is tabbed to allow consumers to easily remove it from the mouth of the bottle.
Previously, Marigold’s only single-serve milk package was a 16-oz PET bottle containing fresh, pasteurized milk. Processed and packaged in-house, these milks have an 18-day shelf life.
“We moved into ESL because the additional shelf life puts us into channels of distribution we couldn’t have penetrated before,” notes Rachel Kyllo, Marigold’s vice president of marketing. “This is an important step for us not only because we can sell in school vending machines, but also because we can go through warehouse distribution networks as opposed to just direct-store delivery,” she adds. “The other motivation is that when you get into flavored milk, which doesn’t sell as rapidly as chocolate or white milk, you really need the extended shelf life.”
Available in eight upper Midwest states, the milks retail for $1.09 to $1.19. “Sales have met our expectations,” says Kyllo, who says a 20-oz size is on deck. (JB)
