​Arla UK Launches New Yellow Top Milk With 'Best of Both' Promise

Arla, the UK’s largest dairy company, has launched a unique branded milk product: Arla ‘Best of Both’ (Arla BOB); fat-free¹ milk that tastes as good as semi-skimmed, packaged with a distinctive yellow top.

The farmer-owned dairy cooperative has spent three years developing the technology to produce Arla BOB. It involves collecting some of the naturally occurring protein² in milk and carefully adding more of it back into skimmed milk to deliver a taste and texture that is as good as semi-skimmed³ and fat-free. In addition, with Arla’s unique PurFiltre^TM process, it also lasts longer in the fridge.

At a time when the UK Government is encouraging consumers to consider their eating and drinking habits, Arla BOB is set to rewrite the rules on what milk drinkers can expect from the traditionally blue, green and red-topped milk aisle.

The launch is part of Arla’s drive to support its farmer owners and become a leading household brand by adding value to its milk, through the development of innovative products, with a focus on the inherent naturalness of dairy. It follows on from the successful launch of Arla Protein, Arla Skyr and Arla Big Milk last year. Through 2016, it will also unveil further innovative products as well as range extensions across the dairy portfolio.

The launch of Arla BOB is supported by a £7 million integrated marketing campaign designed to announce the product with bursts of ‘yellow’ across all consumer touch points. Featuring a national TV and shopper marketing campaign as well as 48 sheets, six sheets, press, digital and social media plus sampling and PR.

Available in retailers nationwide from 11 January in 2-litre (rsp: £1.50) and 1-litre formats (rsp: £1).

Sarah Baldwin, Vice President, Marketing, Arla Foods UK, comments:

“We are perfectly positioned to launch something genuinely pioneering and Arla Best of Both is one of the biggest innovations we’ve created in the milk category. Our innovation strategy is to develop great tasting and healthier products whilst investing to help drive consumer understanding of dairy which we feel is part of our responsibility.

“With organisations like Public Health England encouraging people to consider drinking lower fat milks, we believe Arla BOB will be a popular choice for many consumers.”

According to recent research conducted for Arla,49% of semi-skimmed buyers say they would buy skimmed milk but don’t like the texture and 33% would buy skimmed but don’t like the taste¹.

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Notes to editors

1 Fat-free - the product contains no more than 0, 5 g of fat per 100 g or 100 ml”. This is a directive from the EFSA (European Food Standards Agency)

2 Protein is 4.7g for 100ml and 9.4g for 200ml. Standard fresh skimmed milk ranges between is 3.4-3.6g per 100ml and 6.8 – 7.2g per 200 ml

3Leatherhead Food Research September 2015. Based on statistically valid comparative taste test results with 208 regular consumers of fresh semi skimmed milk.

Nutritional Information

About Arla BOB

Arla BOB is a new, yellow top skimmed milk that tastes as good as semi-skimmed. The naturally occurring protein in milk is collected and carefully added back into skimmed milk. Free from artificial ingredients and additives, it’s this extra protein, which makes Arla BOB taste so good. The full range includes a 2-litre variant (rsp: £1.50) and a 1-litre variant (rsp: £1).

BOB on TV

Arla BOB will be announced to the UK via a nationwide TV campaign starting on 8^th February 2016. The ad focuses on bringing BOB to a town called ‘Compromise’ and is part of a £7m integrated marketing campaign spanning shopper, outdoor, press, digital, social and PR.

Arla Foods is a global dairy company and co-operative owned by 12,700 dairy farmers with approximately 3,000 of whom are British.

Dating back to 1881, Arla’s purpose is to secure the highest value for its farmers’ milk, while creating opportunities for their growth. With production facilities in 11 countries and sales offices in a further 30, Arla is the world’s fifth largest dairy company and largest supplier of organic dairy products. Arla has a total of more than 18,000 colleagues and its products are sold under the well-known brands Arla®, Lurpak® and Castello® in more than 100 countries.

Arla Foods UK is the largest dairy company in the country and is home to leading dairy brands Anchor, Cravendale, and Lactofree. It has a turnover of £2.3 billion. As well as being number one in fresh liquid milk, butter, spreads and cream, Arla is the UK’s largest cheese manufacturer. It has also built the world’s largest fresh milk facility located at Aylesbury and has plans for it to be the first zero carbon site of its kind. The UK business has a team of approximately 3,500 colleagues located at its dairies, distribution centres and head office.