Thursday, 17 October 2024 07:55

Love for choc milk still strong

Written by  Staff Reporters
Lewis Road chocolate milk is still the number one seller in the category in supermarkets. Lewis Road chocolate milk is still the number one seller in the category in supermarkets.

Premium dairy brand Lewis Road Creamery is celebrating a decade since the country went crazy for its iconic fresh chocolate milk.

Created by the company’s founder and former owner, Peter Cullinane, the inspired blend of Whittaker’s 5 Roll Refined Milk chocolate and farm fresh milk first went on limited sale on 30 September 2014.

At the time, the company had just five staff and thought it might sell a thousand litres of chocolate milk a week. But by early October, frenzied supermarket shoppers were snatching up supply as soon as it hit the shelf. Some stores brought in security guards to calm the queues; others limited purchases to two bottles per customer. In response to the rocketing demand, production soon exploded to 40,000 litres a week.

“To this day, people still come up to me and want to tell me their story about how they got their hands on that initial bottle of chocolate milk,” says Lynette Maan, director of marketing for Lewis Road and the Southern Pastures group.

“We have a passionate and engaged community and I love hearing their stories. One woman loved the chocolate milk enough to get the bottle tattooed on her arm. People were completely obsessed with chocolate milk at the time, and they’re still obsessed now.

“We even hear of international visitors smuggling some back home in their suitcases. It’s become an iconic, truly Kiwi drink that’s stood the test of time.”

Others with similar stories can share them by scanning the QR code on the bottle, or through 10-year celebration links on the Lewis Road Creamery website. 

The company has since released 18 different fresh milk flavours over the decade since the chocolate milk success.

“That first run of chocolate milk spawned a whole new category for fresh flavoured milk. And even though chillers are bursting with competitors these days, Lewis Road chocolate milk is still the real deal and the number one seller in the category for supermarkets,” says Lynette. “We’ve changed nothing over the years, it’s the same simple blend of gorgeous Whittaker’s chocolate and beautiful farm fresh milk, and it’s still going strong.”

To further celebrate the milestone, Lewis Road Creamery is releasing a set of bespoke hand-blown glass chocolate milk bottles, t-shirts, caps and encouraging people to send in their way of shaking up a bottle through #LewisroadShakeit or via links on the website. A new chocolate milk flavour with a classic twist will be released on 20 October.

More like this

Featured

Every vote will count - Alliance chair

An independent report, prepared for Alliance farmer shareholders is backing the proposed $250 million joint venture investment by Irish company Dawn Meats Group.

John Deere technician's record hat trick

Whangarei field service technician, Bryce Dickson has cemented his place in John Deere’s history, becoming the first ever person to win an award for the third time at the annual Australian and New Zealand Technician of the Year Awards, announced at a gala dinner in Brisbane last night.

Australia develops first local mRNA FMD vaccine

Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.

National

All eyes on NZ milk supply

All eyes are on milk production in New Zealand and its impact on global dairy prices in the coming months.

Machinery & Products

Amazone unveils flagship spreader

With the price of fertiliser still significantly higher than 2024, there is an increased onus on ensuring its spread accurately at…

Leader balers arrive in NZ

Officially launched at the National Fieldays event in June, the Leader in-line conventional PRO 1900 balers are imported and distributed…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Full cabinet

OPINION: Legislation being drafted to bring back the controversial trade of live animal exports by sea is getting stuck in the…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter