Here’s
the scoop, I’ve recently accepted a position as director of marketing for
Central Dairy. This means two things:
1. I
embark on a new chapter in my life
2. My ice
cream consumption just sky rocketed. Mmmmmm Peppermint Stick!
But
Central Dairy isn’t just about ice cream (I know, right?!). In fact, ice cream
is a very small percentage of what Central Dairy produces! So, what is the
cheese to their smile? Milk. Central Dairy milk brings in the highest
percentage of income for this “home grown” business...
Established
in Columbia, Missouri in 1920 by Dot Sappington, the Jefferson City location
did not open until 1932. Initially, products from Columbia were brought to
Jefferson City for resale, but Mr. Sappington built a new dairy building (610
Madison Street) and installed the now famous ice cream counter in the front of
the dairy.
In 2007 Central Dairy partnered with
Prairie Farms. With over 800 dairy farms, Prairie Farms manufactures and
markets a full line of dairy food products from it’s own seventeen plants,
along with thirteen others through subsidiary companies and joint ventures
throughout the Midwest.
Recently
I was fortunate enough to take a tour of the dairy, and along the way my dairy
knowledge was “milked”for all it’s worth.
All
Central Dairy products are made with real cow’s milk. In the line of milk
alone, Central Dairy offers whole milk, 2% milk, 1% milk, skim milk, chocolate
milk and strawberry milk (both chocolate and strawberry are 1%). In today’s
“health conscious” world, many people believe that cow’s milk is not healthy or
can even contribute to weight gain. Not true. Cow’s milk is an excellent source
of protein, calcium, and vitamins D and K. There are also a total of nine
essential vitamins in cow’s milk. And in recent studies, milk has been found to
actually aid in weight loss efforts! Those are ALL “dairy” good things! (Get
it? I used “dairy” rather than “very!” It’s no wonder they offered me a job!)
Speaking of milk, did you know that only one in
ten school-aged children meet their daily calcium requirements? This doesn’t
come as a surprise, with increasing numbers of children drinking sodas, sports
drinks, fruit-flavored beverages and other sweetened beverages that often
replace milk. It is recommended that children consume between 1,000 - 1,300 mg
of calcium per day, depending on their age, which corresponds to 2-1/2 to 3
cups of milk or milk products every day. A recent study found that children who
consume flavored milk (chocolate or strawberry) are more likely to reach their
daily recommended intake of calcium and less likely to consume low-nutrient
beverages, such as soda and sugary juice drinks. I’m feeding you this
information, because currently there is a “war” within our education system on
whether or not chocolate milk should be offered to students during the lunch
period.
Okay,
okay....enough with the “milk maid!” Although I could go on and on about the
benefits of milk (really all dairy products), I promise I have a story here....
Upon
accepting my position with Central Dairy, my family and I were sitting at the
dinner table (I’m certain we were eating something with lots of cheese, butter,
and maybe even a good helping of Central Dairy Chip-n-Dip!) when I made the
announcement, “I’m going to work for Central Dairy! I will be the director of
marketing and I begin my new job on October 1st!”Each of my three
boys had a different reaction, all indicative of his unique personality:
Hayden,
my 16-year-old who is “too cool for school” replied,“Awesome! Free ice cream!”
Jackson,
my 12-year-old, sweet and sensitive son patted my back and said, “I’m so proud
of you mom! Congratulations!”
And
then my youngest, 11-year-old Benjamin, who quite frankly has way too much of
his momma’s personality, immediately asked, “Oh! Are you going to be the new
‘cow’ on the commercials?”
I’m
pretty sure my face displayed exactly the fury I was feeling....”Did my son
just ask me if I’m a cow?” Benjamin quickly followed up with, “I meant the
voice of the cow mom....the voice.” But it was his next“revelation” that pulled
him from the cow pie he was quickly sinking into...
“There’s
a Fairy in the Dairy!”
Oh, the
memory! How could I have forgotten?! Of course! I was absolutely destined to
work for Central Dairy!
When
Benjamin was two years old he received a book entitled,A Fairy in a Dairy,
and it was his most favorite book! The sleepy town of Buttermilk Hollow was
blessed with a fairy godmother, and the once failing dairy town soon began to
flourish when dairy products of all kinds began popping up in the most unusual
places! Benjamin had that book memorized! Pretty soon the “fairy” became “real”
in our home. I had Benjamin convinced that we had our own personal “dairy
fairy” and that was how our milk was delivered in the metal milk box that sits
out on our front porch! Cute, huh?
Look, I’m not really sure how I have ended up
working for a dairy. I’m a city gal, through and through. The closest I’ve ever
come to farming is mismanaging an ant farm when I was nine years old. But it’s
not like I’m trading my stilettos for a pair of rubber boots, although I was
forced to wear a hair net during the tour (seriously, I’m going to need
something a little more “blinged” out if I have to wear a hair net every single
time)!
My role is to market the products that we produce
right here in the capitol city, and since I love me some milk, cheese, and ice
cream, that should be a "piece of cake" (with Central Dairy Vanilla
Ice Cream on top)! On the“udder” hand, having access to all the Peppermint Stick
Ice Cream I can consume...Holy Cow!
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