Dairy Industry Pushes Caffeine on High Schoolers to Sell More Milk

Dairy groups across the United States are now partnering with high schools to encourage more dairy consumption among teens. The groups are offering to fund school programs that serve milk-filled drinks such as dairy-based smoothies, hot chocolate, and lattes. One program is called Moo Brew—which is run by lobby group Florida Dairy Farmers—and funds freestanding coffee kiosks wrapped in pro-dairy advertising at several high schools in Florida. The program says it allows “students that might not normally select milk with their school menus to consume milk.” Another program run by non-profit dairy council Dairy Max offers Texas schools funding to receive the necessary equipment to set up coffee bars. Its main goals are to increase milk consumption and help obtain revenue for schools. These initiatives come as the dairy industry continues to lose profits while plant-based milk alternatives capture more consumer dollars. Earlier this year, it was revealed that sales of dairy milk plummeted by $1.1 billion in 2018, according to statistics shared by the Dairy Farmers of America during its annual meeting.