The a2 Milk Company is asking the National Dairy Council (NDC) to fight back against declining dairy consumption and the growing plant-based beverage industry by embracing a2 Milk.
“What is it going to take to get the American dairy industry to embrace disruptive natural innovations like a2 Milk that can help reverse the decline in dairy consumption, and make a meaningful difference to peoples’ lives,” said Blake Waltrip, U.S. CEO of the Australia-based company. “The a2 Milk Company now represents around 10 percent of expanding grocery fluid milk consumption in Australia, bucking the trend of declining milk consumption being experienced by most of the world’s dairy milk markets.”
Waltrip made his comments in response to the National Dairy Council’s claims last week that A1 protein-free milk has no “nutrition or health benefits beyond regular milk.”
Conventional milk contains a combination of A1 and A2 beta casein protein types. The a2 Milk is from cows that naturally produce milk with only the A2 protein type and no A1.
Despite the National Dairy Council and the established U.S. dairy industry’s claims, the company says respected independent scientific journals have published significant, peer-reviewed findings demonstrating that for a significant number of people, a2 Milk is easier on human digestion than conventional milk.
Fonterra Co-operative Group (Fonterra), one of the largest global dairy companies, recently embraced the A2 protein proposition. In February 2018, Fonterra entered into a Comprehensive Strategic Relationship with The a2 Milk Company that encompasses a range of supply, distribution, sales, and marketing arrangements in targeted markets, including licensing the brand in New Zealand. In addition, Nestle Wyeth, has recently launched an A1 protein-free infant milk in China further endorsing the scientific evidence that supports a2 Milk.
“Why is the National Dairy Council dismissing the growing body of evidence supporting the differences between A1 and A2 protein types? Why is the NDC not responding to a2 Milk’s increasing global acceptance? a2 Milk is the key for helping U.S. dairy farmers who are hurting amid historically low milk prices and declining consumption,” Waltrip said. “The National Dairy Industry Checkoff program, which funds NDC, is also paid by the farmers that supply The a2 Milk Company. Why aren’t those funds used to support a2 Milk marketing?”
