It’s Valentine’s weekend so I am going to get sappy and just put it out there. I LOVE my dairy family. It was wonderful to visit with so many Daily Dose of Dairy subscribers at Dairy Forum. It’s been a rough few years for me since becoming a widow and an empty nester within 45 days on June 23, 2023, but thanks to my dairy family, I can now say that and not feel hollow, or as hollow as I once did. This is another testament to the fact that “we are all better when we work together.” Love one another as you want to be loved!
I hope you love the path to continued growth for dairy as much as I do.
“Dairy is entering a new era in 2026, blending indulgence, wellness and creativity to meet evolving consumer expectations,” according to Synergy, today’s blog sponsor. “From affordable luxury and functional formulations to seasonal surprises and organic authenticity, the category is redefining what it means to deliver comfort and nutrition.”
Synergy is on target. Read the company’s “Five Trends to Watch” by linking HERE or on one the banners in today’s blog.
These trends align with my recent interview on The Dairy Download, which was taped during Dairy Forum. You can view the entire “Adapting to the New Consumer” episode HERE or a brief one-minute clip HERE.
Here are some of my favorite remarks from Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association at Dairy Forum 2026.
“Record crowd again this year, we broke 1,200 people. So, you've got 1,199 of your best friends here.” (It sure felt like that to me!)
“Everyone in this room is a partner in the most powerful story in the nation today. The story of the dairy industry. So, thank you for being here. You are stewards of a powerhouse industry.”
“Before I move forward with 2026, let’s take a look back at 2025. I would characterize 2025 as one of our greatest years for American dairy:
- We’ve had four years of record consumption.
- We’re consuming about 651 pounds of dairy. We’re eating a lot more of our dairy, 651 pounds of dairy per person. Quite phenomenal.
- Because of our efforts, because of our focus on health and wellness and the superior quality of protein we have in our dairy products, dairy has topped all categories at retail at $80 billion.
- Our processing industry has invested $11 billion in new processing facilities, 50 plus projects in about 20 different states.”
“Our theme for this year’s Dairy Forum is not simply a tagline, but a fundamental belief in our future and the importance of being united to grow, to thrive, to secure our freedom to operate and to make sure that this is a thriving industry for future generations. We know that when we unite, we are stronger.”
“We’re in a new era for dairy. Dairy was made for this opportunity. We’ve got a nutritional profile on protein. We’ve got the healthy fat. Finally, the science on fat is coming forward.”
“We’re innovating our product offerings. Amazing the things we’re doing with the quality milk coming from today’s farms, the various ingredients, the bioactives, all the enzymes, all the proteins. Absolutely amazing.”
“We are reclaiming relevance for some of our dairy staples, milk, cheese, yogurt. How about cottage cheese? 20% growth in the last five years.”
“We know dairy delivers complete, natural, affordable nutrition. We were the original functional food. That is a competitive advantage for us in dairy, and we need to make sure that we’re leading with that effort.”
“The nutritional value of food should be based on sound science and the nutritional density of the product. We know that dairy is pasteurized, fortified and packaged to be accessible to consumers around the world and that we are part of a of the solution to a healthy lifestyle.”
Keep on LOVING dairy!
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