Written By: Ellie Wilson, MS, RD  Senior Nutritionist, Price Chopper Supermarkets Better & Better From the outside looking in, it might appear that getting milk from cow to cup is actually a very old farming tradition that has been adapted and improved and is no big deal now. It might look like there is not a lot of room for innovation, or that it isn’t really needed – you don’t hear about many problems with dairy, right? You can feel confident in the quality of Price Chopper milk, cream and half and half because there are many safety and quality checks and procedures that go into turning raw milk into all of these wholesome products. It starts at the farm – I already shared some of the procedures that help the farmer get milk ready to be picked up by the tanker truck. Garelick field rep Jackie inspects the farm periodically to ensure they are maintaining their safety practices and supports John with any updates or recommendations that have been identified. Next, the tanker truck has to pump the milk into the two separate holding tanks in the truck and seal those tanks. When the tanker gets to the plant, it is quarantined outside the building, and a lab tech comes out to verify the seals, then open the two compartments and take samples to the lab. If the seal is broken, or anything is detected by the lab, that milk cannot enter the plant. The milk is checked for any substances that don’t belong – like antibiotic residue, or high bacteria count. It is also checked for quality measures, like butterfat content. This is all tracked and is part of the information Garelick Farms sends back to John Green that he uses to take care of his cows. Once the technician gives the ok, the truck can move into one of two bays and the milk is transferred into the raw milk silos. Then the tanker is cleaned and sanitized so it can go back out for pick ups. If the schedule is working, they move a truck in and out every 1 ½ hours. Jeniece Goellner, the plant quality manager, ensures that all of the quality and safety procedures happen at every critical point in the process where something could go wrong and compromise the quality of the milk. This requires great attention to detail, constant consideration on how to improve the process, and passion – which plant manager Dave shared is a key ingredient from the many long term, committed workers that are part of the plant team. This process is so well coordinated, there are only about 10 tanker rejections out of over 1100 tanker deliveries per year. The milk is bottled, labeled and moved into cold storage. Each Price Chopper store has a dairy manager who tracks milk sales and sends an order in to Garelick Farms for exactly what they need each day. That order goes to the plant and then to Garelick employees like Isaac Seldman. He reviews and assembles each order, and out they go to the trucks for store delivery. This is why the milk is so fresh – it can be from cow to cup in less than 24 hours, sometimes even in 12 hours! So there it is – your cow to cup tour. In addition to the milk itself, I hope you can see that there is a lot of passion, commitment, and connection poured into that cup. Enjoy a glass of Price Chopper milk today!

Written by Jane N. Golub Director In-Store Marketing Programs

GARELICK FARMS LIMITED HOLIDAY ITEMS

Garelick Farms TruMoo Lowfat Chocolate Peppermint Milk has the delicious chocolaty taste of regular TruMoo with a hint of refreshing peppermint flavor.  TruMoo Lowfat Chocolate Peppermint milk is also nutritious as it starts with lowfat white milk from Garelick Farms and is packed with calcium and vitamins A & D!  Warm it up for hot cocoa with a peppermint twist! Garelick Farms Holly Nog is a creamy egg nog flavored beverage perfect for any holiday gathering.  Garelick Farms Holly Nog starts with Garelick Farms reduced fat milk and has fewer calories than regular egg nog. The Garelick Farms Limited Holiday Items are sure to win over kids and adults alike!  Try both TruMoo Lowfat Chocolate Peppermint Milk and Garelick Farms Holly Nog while supplies last. Visit www.GarelickFarms.com for more information.

POM WONDERFUL BLENDS

More Americans were introduced to pomegranate products last year than any year in history.  POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice is the nation’s best-selling pomegranate juice and helped kick off the country’s pomegranate craze more than a decade ago.  POM Wonderful is launching new blends to complement its pure pomegranate juice with delicious flavor varieties that appeal to the whole family. POM Hula evokes an off-the-map beach getaway with a mix of pomegranate, pineapple and organic apple juice.  POM Mango offers a delectable mix of pomegranate, mango and pear juice.  POM Coconut mixes pomegranate juice, coconut water and pineapple juice. The new blends slip POM’s iconic curved bottle into eye-catching tropical graphics in a convenient 12 oz. size.  POM Hula shimmies into a green grass hula skirt, POM Coconut pairs POM’s signature red wrap with white coconut and green leaves, while POM Mango features a splash of yellow with green leaves. Look for POM Wonderful Blends in the Produce Department. What’s your favorite food to enjoy with a big glass of milk?  Are you a milk and cookies fan or do you love drinking milk with your morning breakfast?  Tell us how you enjoy Gaelick Farms Dairy Pure Milk for the chance to win two tickets to meet “CeCe” from Shake it Up! at the Back to School Expo in Albany, New York on September 7th, 2013.   Leave your answer below and on our Facebook page to be entered- two winners will be randomly selected to receive two tickets each to meet CeCe. Did you know only 1 out of 3 kids start their school day with a healthy breakfast?  Kids that start their day with a breakfast filled with quality protein, whole grains, and fruit can achieve higher test scores, increased concentration, and better attendance at school. Protein at breakfast can help power you through the morning so you can win the day.  Garelick Farms Dairy Pure® milk is a delicious, easy and affordable way to get high quality protein in the morning.  Read official contest rules here and leave your comment by Friday, August 30th to enter!   Written by Jane N. Golub Director In Store Marketing Programs DOLE BANANA DIPPERS New Dole Banana Dippers come in two varieties – Dole Banana Dippers in  Dark Chocolate and Dole Banana Dippers in Dark Chocolate with Almonds. The goodness of bananas comes together with the rich indulgent taste of dark chocolate and almonds.  New Dole Banana Dippers are fresh frozen banana slices covered in a splash of dark chocolate or dark chocolate with a touch of almonds. Dole Banana Dippers deliver 4 grams of Dietary Fiber, 180 mg of Potassium, only 7 grams of sugar and 120 calories per serving.  Dole Banana Dippers are a convenient healthy snack for families and an elegant way to serve fruit for parties.  Simply pull from your freezer and enjoy anytime, anywhere! Dole continues to reinvent Frozen Fruit by offering consumers easier ways to incorporate fruit into one’s diet – with an  emphasis on quality.  Dole has a variety of other frozen fruits like blueberries and strawberries in cups or bags and ready-cut fruit like strawberries and bananas.  New Dole Shakers are a fun and easy way to make a fruit and yogurt Smoothie for home or on the run. Banana Dippers, Shakers and Dole Fruit can be found in the frozen fruit section of the Frozen aisle.  Dole is committed to bring healthy and delicious product to the market and is your brand for quality and innovation. GARELICK FARMS NEW TruMoo LOWFAT VANILLA MILK For a limited time only, Garelick Farms NEW TruMoo Lowfat Vanilla Milk has turned a lucky green color for St. Patrick’s Day! TruMoo Vanilla Lowfat Milk offers the same wholesome goodness of regular lowfat TruMoo with a delicious vanilla taste kids love and essential protein, calcium and Vitamins A & D kids need every day. TruMoo Vanilla Milk is made with delicious vanilla flavor, just enough sugar (no high fructose corn syrup) and a lucky green color to add some fun.  TruMoo Lowfat Green Vanilla milk, with a festive St. Patrick’s Day label, is only available in Half Gallons through March 17th.  Make St. Patrick’s Day Delicious and Nutritious! TruMoo Lowfat Chocolate Milk is available in a variety of sizes: Gallon, Half Gallon, Quart and Single Serve.  Visit www.TruMoo.com for more information. Look for Garelick Farms TruMoo Lowfat Vanilla Green Milk in the Dairy aisle.