The Dairy Blog

The Most Important Product in my Career

Scottie Mayfield — Tue, 01 May 2007 11:36:00 -0400

My blogs never need a title but, in this case, I think it makes some sense to have one. We are announcing the introduction of Nurture 1% lowfat milk and Nurture 2% reduced fat milk. I want to give you some background (more than you may want) and explain why this is actually a re-launch and why. To do that, I need to begin with some history and then come to the present time.

In the early 1980’s we had a product called Sweet Acidophilus. It was a lowfat product that had a bad name and was not successful. The lack of success was partially because we(Mayfield) did not try hard enough to make it a success. Then in 1987, we had the opportunity to introduce Nu-Trish^® a/B (a product that not only contained Lactobacillus Acidophilus but also Bifidobacterium organism).

Two significant things: First, the milk just tasted like milk. Second, these “cultures” had a reputation for helping the digestive tract digest foods better. This reputation came from years of use in Europe. Since the product was so helpful with digestion, it was logical that it would provide better nutrition because foods eaten would be digested better and more vitamins and nutrients would be absorbed.

We introduced the product by taking one of the scientists from Chr. Hansen Laboratories, who developed the specific cultures we used, onto noontime TV shows. In the next few weeks, we received calls and letters from consumers about how this product had changed their lives. In every case, they had a digestive problem or condition and they gave credit to Nu-Trish^® a/B for the positive changes they had experienced.

Time went along. Most of us that were involved in this introduction started drinking Nu-Trish^® a/B at home. My family has consumed it since 1987. When I see some whole milk in the refrigerator, I know my wife has a special recipe that calls for whole milk. In 1991, we entered Atlanta with milk and we stopped advertising NuTrish^® a/B to focus on explaining the Aro-Vac and why our milk tastes dairy fresh all year regardless of what the cows eat. We also spent time explaining that the yellow jug blocked out light and preserved the fresh dairy taste.

The name was later changed to NuTrish 1% lowfat, which is our current product.

About a year and a half ago, I was talking to some consumers and asked why they are willing to pay more for Mayfield milk. I had three in the group tell me that since they had learned about NuTrish that was all their family drank and they felt it had made a very positive difference in the health of their family.

It just so happened that when we contacted Chr. Hansen Labs. about NuTrish, they started telling us about great research that had been done in the last few years. The research involved solving various situations - like when someone has to take antibiotics. Drinking NuTrish helps replenish the good flora in the intestines. The research that really “blew our minds” allowed us to make a claim that makes this product very significant.

We can and are going to state that this product will boost your immune system. With this news, we felt that we should re-name and re-launch this product. The new name is “Nurture.” We think this is great because we are going beyond nutrition with this product. We are boosting immune systems. The re-launch will begin with advertising on April 30 and the product should be in the stores shortly thereafter.

We have a web site where you can dig into some of the research. It is http://www.nurturemilk.com/.

Everyone reacts differently. I would like to ask two favors. For those of you who already drink NuTrish, I would love to hear about any stories where you feel it has made a significant difference in your health. Second, now that NuTrish is changing to Nurture and we are going to tell more people about it, I would love to hear stories from anyone who feels it has made a difference in their health.

My understanding is that you need to average at least two 8-ounce glasses a day. By the way, this is a very similar product to the new Activia by Dannon. If you cannot drink Nurture by Mayfield, I suggest you try Activia by Dannon. It will take a week or two to establish a good flora in your intestines.

I love milk and drink two or three glasses every day. If I drink milk but also BOOST MY IMMUNE SYSTEM by drinking Nurture milk, I feel that I am being extra good to my body.

We will change our present 1% NuTrish to 1% Nurture and we will add 2% Nurture. We are adding 2% Nurture because 2% is our best selling milk. By providing the 2% taste profile and the benefits of the Nurture culture, we think we are providing consumers a fabulous product.

We hope you will give this product a try. It may cost more than what you are buying today, but I think you will find it is well worth the difference. Let me know what you think.

Try this month's recipe!

Recipe of the Month Club — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 15:16:00 -0400

Chocolate Cake

In honor of National Chocolate Week, whip up this recipe from upper

South Carolina's favorite dessert place, The Sweetery, to celebrate!

For the cake

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

1½ teaspoon baking soda

2/3 cup Mayfield Buttermilk

2/3 cup boiling water

3 ounces unsweetened

chocolate

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream butter and sugar thoroughly; add eggs one at a time,

beating well after each addition.

Sift flour and salt twice in a separate bowl.

Combine soda and buttermilk in a separate bowl.

Add flour alternately to the creamed mixture with the buttermilk,

beginning and ending with the flour.

Pour boiling water over the chocolate, stirring until smooth. Add to

batter.

Mix well and add vanilla.

Pour into a well greased and floured 9x13 inch pan and bake at

325 degrees for 50 - 60 minutes.

For the frosting

6 tablespoons butter

1 ounce square unsweetened chocolate

3 tablespoons Mayfield Half & Half

3 cups sifted powdered sugar

2 tablespoons Mayfield Heavy Whipping Cream

Combine butter, chocolate and half & half in a saucepan; cook

until butter and chocolate melt.

Remove from heat and stir in sugar and whipping cream. Once

ingredients are combined, mix with electric mixer.

For a printer-friendly version click here.

Chef's Tips

Chef Jane from The Sweetery recommends using a good grade

of chocolate, "It will make a difference," she says.

She also adds, "It is very important to alternate the liquid and dry

ingredients when mixing the batter." So don't get in a hurry - alternate

those ingredients!

Congratulations to Marietta Middle School

Scottie Mayfield — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 09:29:00 -0500

On March 1^st, I had the pleasure of attending a luncheon for the folks who prepare food for the students who attend Marietta City schools. Actually, Mayfield Dairy Farms hosted the affair as a "reward and thank you" to these people who provide nutritious meals for students. Under the direction of Sandy Laffan, Nutrition Director, they entered a national contest.

The contest was sponsored by Dairy Field Magazine and the dairy farmers who fund the American Dairy Council. Since milk is such an important part of the nutritious meals prepared and served to the students, the contest was centered around increasing participation in the meal program.

Marietta City schools, particularly Marietta Middle School, did so well they were one of the national winners of the contest. They created some great signage which featured the change from the traditional paper package to our new plastic half-pint school package. Their milk consumption changes were incredible, with 43,840 additional units of milk being served to a student body of 1,091, and that was only in the first three months of school.

They were able to accomplish this by promoting their food service opportunities, especially breakfast. I think breakfast experienced the biggest increase. Their participation in lunch was up 6%. That is really great considering their participation in lunch was already good.

There is more information on the school web site – www.marietta-city.k12.ga.us and the person who helped to create their signage has a web site – cath@brazealconsulting.net. Her signage is great.

We wanted to have a luncheon for the folks who prepare all the food for our children because we know the pride they take in providing nutritious meals for “their” students. This is true at Marietta City and every other school system I have ever visited. My hat is off to the folks at Marietta City and to all the folks in every school food service system. Thanks to them for doing a great job feeding our youth!

From Left: Ruth Gordon; Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition Director, Sandy Laffan; Marietta City School Nutrition Director, Susan Cheshire; Executive Director; Georgia School Nutrition Association, Paula Daniels, Marietta Middle School Manager and me.

Try this month's recipe!

Recipe of the Month Club — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 11:41:00 -0500

Overnight Oatmeal

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

2 1/2 cups Mayfield Milk

1/2 cup dried apricots

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup walnuts

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 Gala apple, chopped

MIX all ingredients together in a crock-pot.

COOK on low overnight.

NOTE Depending on your crock-pot, the oatmeal can be fully cooked in as little as 4 1/2 hours.

Serves 6-8

For printer-friendly version, click here.

The next time you have overnight guests, prepare this delicious recipe and everyone will wake up to the delicious smell of a hot breakfast.

Try making oatmeal with Mayfield Chocolate Milk and a spoonful of peanut butter for a kid-friendly treat!

Kay Erwin

was our winner of this month's drawing! Check out Kay's Butterscotch Cake recipe and don't forget to enter Mix It Up With Mayfield!

A Mom story

Mayfield Moms — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 08:23:00 -0500

Hello there, Pamela again. As a Mayfield Mom, I usually have my eyes and ears out for an opportunity to tell someone about Mayfield and their products. I have a cute story to share with you that proves you just never know when that might happen...

I was subbing for the Chemistry teacher on Monday (she was sick and had to go home). Well anyway a couple of the young ladies (10th grade) were discussing an equation and had this little saying to help them remember the order - King Henry drank chocolate milk and it poisoned him. Of course I interjected and asked could they possibly change the chocolate milk part as I hated to think chocolate milk being a poison and since I did work for Mayfield I would much appreciate it. They laughed and we discussed other possible options.

So, just so it's clear, chocolate milk is not poison in any way and according to Wikipedia, King Henry was never poisoned!!

Have a great day. Pamela

Think About Your Drink

Scottie Mayfield — Mon, 08 Jan 2007 09:34:00 -0500

Holy Cow! I just did a blog last Friday and something newsworthy is happening today. I usually post one blog a month, but this is sort of special. There is a study being released today about eating trends. It made sense to write something about it since it mentions milk.

To prepare myself to write about this, I went to the website. It covers consumption trends and the fact that 22% of the calories we consume are liquid. It goes into great detail and has some very interesting information. My conclusion is that those who are interested would be better served if they went direct to the website instead of me trying to repeat what is there. The website is www.thinkaboutyourdrink.com.

When I'm not home

Executive Team — Wed, 20 Dec 2006 15:35:00 -0500

While traveling in Europe, (actually Ireland) I noticed how much advertising was devoted to probiotic products. It was on television, billboards and buses across the entire country. Although we may be a little behind in the U.S., I was proud of the fact that Mayfield had been one of the first to take advantage of probiotics in milk through NuTrish Milk. I have been drinking this "value-added" product for years and can tell a difference in my body when I am out of town and don't have access to it. And, even though it is a lowfat 1% product, my kids even love it.

Mary Williams

Question #1

Jan Montgomery — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 11:49:00 -0500

And here it is...

Question #1 - Is the date stamped on the milk jug an expiration date or a “sell-by” date, and can I use the milk past the date?

The date on our milk jug is the “sell-by” date. This date lets our route salesperson know when they should remove the milk from the store shelf; however, the consumer should be able to use the milk for about seven to ten days after the date as long as the product is kept under proper refrigeration. The best temperature for milk storage is 33° to 38° Fahrenheit. When the temperature of milk increases above 38° the shelf life decreases, so as far as dairy products go, your motto should be KEEP IT COLD! If you don’t keep a thermometer in your fridge, then I encourage you to get one so you know you are maintaining the best temperature for your dairy products.

Hope I've answered some of your own questions! Let me know if you have any others.

Happy Holidays,

Jan

Question #2

Jan Montgomery — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 11:19:00 -0500

Question # 2 – Is Mayfield milk and ice cream available in my state?

We distribute our ice cream and other frozen dairy products in Eastern and Middle Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, portions of North Carolina, a small area of Mississippi where it borders Alabama, as well as parts of Kentucky and Virginia that border Tennessee.

Our milk is available in Eastern Tennessee, upper Georgia and the Metro Atlanta area, as well

as parts of Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky and Virginia where they border Tennessee.

Feel free to call our office at 1-800-MAYFIELD or contact us by e-mail if you would like to know if Mayfield products are available in your area.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Jan

Question #3

Jan Montgomery — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 16:37:00 -0500

Question # 3 - Why a yellow milk jug?

Most people don’t realize that sunlight and light in the dairy case have a negative affect on the quality and taste of milk. Even short term exposure can cause the milk to develop a metallic or “cardboard-like” flavor. Exposure to light also causes a loss of vitamins in milk, with Vitamins A and B2 (riboflavin) affected the most. In 1983 Mayfield became the first dairy to package milk in the yellow jug which reflects light rays and protects the flavor and nutrients.

Two more questions left...do you have any?

School Milk

Scottie Mayfield — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 12:33:00 -0500

I had a great visit with Cheryl Hayn last week. She is the Chief Executive Officer of SUDIA (Southeast United Dairy Industry Association). SUDIA is an organization that is funded by dairy farmers in the Southeastern United States. They are affiliated with the American Dairy Association and the National Dairy Council. Their strategic purpose is to drive increased sales of and demand for U. S. dairy products and ingredients. They have been very helpful in doing research that gives us (Mayfield) information on products and packages that can help us provide products that consumers want.

            One area they have been very helpful in is school milk. Due to some research they have done and some research the Milk Mustache folks (MilkPEP) have done, we introduced a small plastic bottle for schools last year. And, this year we changed the graphics on our paper milk carton to a camouflage pattern that the kids think is “cool.” SUDIA was responsible for the research on plastic packaging. The result has been great. It is just like when we introduced the Chug_® back in 1995. Back then our pint sales soared. Similar results are taking place in schools.

            Once schools systems put plastic half pints in their cafeteria plan, we typically see increased consumption. It is interesting because the first increase in consumption is noticed by the cafeteria staff when they take out the trash. They can tell that the milk containers are empty whereas before it appeared that students were not consuming the milk that was automatically placed on their tray as a part of the lunch program. The next change that is noticed is a slight increase in extra milks purchased. Lastly, the cafeteria experiences an increase in total participation.

            Increased participation by our children in school food programs is very important. It is important because the meals are very nutritious. The school cafeterias do an excellent job of providing balanced, tasty and nutritious meals. There is strong research supporting the positive impact breakfast and lunch have on the education of our children. We need to tip our hats to the folks who feed our children in our school systems. If you want a great meal, go visit your child at lunch.

            Cheryl explained that SUDIA was continuing to do research to help the dairy industry find more ways to make milk a part of more meals for children and adults alike. They will be developing partnerships with companies like ours to seek ways to utilize the findings of this research. They will be giving us more tools to convince people than “milk does a body good.” And, it does!

I love buttermilk!

Rob Mayfield — Wed, 25 Oct 2006 08:25:00 -0400
I love Buttermilk! I’ve been drinking Buttermilk ever since I started training in our laboratory in the late 1960’s. Buttermilk is both refreshing and filling. It is the perfect mid-afternoon snack on a hot summer day, and it is also a perfect beverage with many meals. Buttermilk is especially good with cornbread. I like to use Buttermilk as an ingredient when making cornbread. I like to drink Buttermilk when eating cornbread, and I also enjoy crumbling cornbread into a bowl of Buttermilk and eating it like a cereal!
For many people, drinking Buttermilk is a learned trait. My job included tasting every vat of Buttermilk and approving it for packaging. I soon became a Buttermilk lover. Originally, Buttermilk was the by-product of churning butter. Today, we simply add pure strains of cultures to pasteurized low-fat or whole milk. We incubate the milk at 70 – 72 º F for 14 – 18 hours until the lactic acid and Buttermilk flavor develops just right. Many old-timers say the best Buttermilk cultures were lost in the 1950’s as cows were treated with penicillin. Today’s cultures are much improved from the 1970’s, and our Buttermilk is the best I can remember.

Many people use Buttermilk for baking. Buttermilk contributes water, fat, proteins, lactose and lactic acid to a recipe. Water adds moisture. Fat gives mouthfeel and enhances the flavor. Protein is going to set or coagulate to give structure. More protein will cause bread to rise higher. Protein also stabilizes fat emulsions. Lactose undergoes caramelization to help bread brown. Lactic acid adds tender crumb. Thus, Buttermilk is a key ingredient for not only cornbread but biscuits and breads. It offers the perfect balance of flavor, browning, structural support and moistness to yield tender, fluffy and tasty bread.

Mayfield Dairy has two Buttermilks: Whole (3.25% butterfat) in a paper half gallon and Reduced Fat (1.5% butterfat) offered in a variety of sizes: plastic gallon, half gallon, quart and pint.

The best breakfast

Rob Mayfield — Wed, 13 Sep 2006 09:39:00 -0400

I think oatmeal is different today than it was fifty years ago. Today’s oatmeal is finer, not nearly as chewy as years ago. Back then, a small bowl of oatmeal would really fill you up. But I guess oatmeal was best used for cookies. My mother, Aunt Muriel, and Grandmother all made oatmeal cookies. Mother’s were round, flat and chewy. She usually put raisins in them, and sometimes chocolate chips. Aunt Muriel’s and Grandmother’s were more of a spoon drop cookie. I suppose they contained more flour, as they stayed chunky and did not flatten out. In the fall, Grandmother collected hundreds of black walnuts – she placed them in her driveway where she ran over them with her car to remove the hulls. Then, in late fall she would hand pick the black walnuts from the shells and cook tray after tray of oatmeal cookies with walnuts, then freeze them.

Scottie and I liked to fish. The best fishing hole was on the creek by the calf barn. We fished with a cane pole or a real fishing rod with worms and float. Scottie and I would meet at daylight because that was when the fishing was the best. By nine o’clock or so the sun would be heating up, the fish would stop biting, and we would be so hungry! Grandmother’s house was the closest to the calf barn, so to Grandmother’s house we went - oatmeal cookies and Mayfield milk. That is the best breakfast we ever had.

Ingredients

Product Team — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 11:04:00 -0400

It takes great ingredients to make great products, especially dairy products. That's really where it all starts here at Mayfield and that's why we put such an emphasis on making sure that our ingredients are the best. Raw milk is by far our largest raw ingredient, and every tanker load of milk must pass a number of tests at our scalehouse before we'll allow the truck to back into our receiving bay. Every load is checked for temperature, bacteria, adulteration, antibiotics, and flavor (yes, we taste every load). But it doesn't stop there. We also receive condensed milk, milk powder, cocoa powder, several types of liquid sweeteners, bulk chocolate coatings, nuts, fruits, and many, many other ingredients that are used in our numerous ice cream flavors. Each and every one is scrutinized by our receivers, lab techs, and operators. Here's Armond checking the temperature on a load of milk that just arrived.

NuTrish

Scottie Mayfield — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 17:05:00 -0400

Since my entry on August 10, in which I talked about our recent Focus Group’s discussion about Nutrish Milk, we have received a number of comments and questions. I welcome more questions and comments about this product.

As I said before, when we introduced Nutrish in 1989, the big news was that you could enjoy the power of the digestive effects of the cultures, lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium, without any change in the flavor of the milk. Many people sent letters and stated how much it has meant to them. There is no question that drinking Nutrish has had a quick and substantially positive impact on many people. As with many things, Nutrish affects different people in different ways.

The positive comments have come from people with discomfort from digestive problems such as acid reflux and Hiatal Hernia, which I think are similar. We have had a significant number of comments from people with Crohn’s Disease and Colitis. We have not felt that there is enough clinical evidence to support a blanket statement on the use of Mayfield Nutrish to help relieve some of the digestive issues associated with these conditions. Based on the input we have received, I would say it is worth trying. If you are uncomfortable with consuming Nutrish without consulting with your doctor, by all means have a conversation with your doctor.

When we make a concerted effort to inform people about Mayfield Nutrish, we will be focusing on the research that has been done, which indicates an improved immune system because of these beneficial, live cultures. Many people will change to Nutrish even though they are healthy now. They will continue to be healthy and will probably have fewer health problems, but it will be harder for them to express that their lives have changed. The folks with digestive conditions who experience an overnight or quick difference are in a different situation. Even so, I cannot imagine someone who loves to drink milk with their meals, as I do, not switching to Mayfield Nutrish if they are confident that their immune system will work better.

When we begin to inform more people about Mayfield Nutrish, we will provide links so they can read some of the research studies to better understand the power of this product.

Scottie

Focus Group

Scottie Mayfield — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 16:26:00 -0400

Tuesday of this week, we conducted a Focus Group session in Atlanta. They are always very interesting.   All the participants were mothers who drink milk - some were Mayfield consumers and some consumed other brands. The way the Focus Group works is interesting, so I thought I would share this with you. The participants arrived at an office that is designed just for this purpose. There were 8 participants. They went into a room and sat around a conference table. The moderator sat at one end and behind her was a mirror. I was with people from our company and our advertising agency on the other side of the mirror. The participants knew someone was watching and listening and that the session was being recorded, but they didn’t seem to be intimidated by the two-way mirror.

The moderator asked questions about milk, such as: What fat level do you buy? Why do you buy milk? We showed some story boards that look like a carton version of a commercial. Our reason for this Focus Group was to understand their thoughts about our Mayfield Nutrish Milk. As we expected, they were not familiar with it. We are planning to promote Nutrish next year. I think it is the best milk product we make. It is 1% milk and it has yogurt cultures in it that aid the digestion of food. It basically keeps the “gut” in great shape. When we introduced this product in 1989, the big news was that you could enjoy the power of the digestive effects of the cultures, lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium, without any change in the flavor of the milk.

Since 1989, over twenty different pieces of research have been completed, independent of our company, which supplies us with the cultures and the process to add them. The result is that drinking at least one glass of Nutrish a day improves the immune system of most people. The reality is that if your gut is very healthy, your entire body will also be healthy. One of the big questions was, “Why is Mayfield Nutrish needed?” In answer, these two cultures should naturally occur in everyone’s gut and they are replenished by raw vegetables that are eaten. Well, we don’t eat as many raw vegetables out of our own gardens anymore, plus the preservatives in meats, chips and other foods make it hard for these cultures to flourish in our “gut.” Also, when we use antibiotics that are taken for some illness, the antibiotics kill the good organisms in our body, along with the bad organisms that are making us sick. My mother had a real serious infection several years ago and had to take antibiotics through a shunt. She drank Nutrish, and never had stomach problems.

It was interesting to hear the interest and comments from the participants. Their input will help us do a better job of presenting this product to the public. I personally think it is the best product we make because it is so good for you. It is all we drink at my house.

We presently have 1% Nutrish Milk but we are also considering a Skim or 2% Nutrish. I welcome comments about this direction.

Thanks,

Scottie