Open Milk Jugs Could Sour Profits Reveals New Research

When it comes to tea and coffee out-of-home, hygiene is the biggest driver for consumers opting for mini pots over open milk jugs. With new research revealing that nearly 60% of consumers have concerns over how long milk has been left out, if the milk jug has been contaminated or whether the jug has been cleaned properly.

This new research, commissioned by Pritchitts – the dairy solutions provider – lifts the lid on consumer perceptions and operator usage when it comes to the white stuff.  Of those asked, 68% of caterers believe mini pots the most hygienic way to serve milk with hot drinks and over half use mini pots because they are more convenient.

The research also revealed that four out of five caterers asked, currently using open milk jugs, throw away up to 730 litres of milk every year! Add to this that 91% of consumers said they would be unsure about visiting an establishment if they came across negative comments about milk jug cleanliness and your bottom line could take a real hit. 

Simon Muschamp, Head of Marketing, Pritchitts comments:
“If you consider the cost of the milk thrown away when using open milk jugs, the contamination risks, plus consumer concern over cleanliness, it is no surprise that mini pots are the first choice for hot drink catering out-of-home. That’s why we are calling on caterers not to let milk jugs sour their profits, chuck the jug and consider the big benefits mini pots can bring to an operation.”
Pritchitts’ peel-and-pour, one-cup Millac Maid Mini Pots are easy to open, easy to store, have a long shelf-life and minimise wastage through perfect portion control. The sealed pots provide a convenient and hygienic way of serving hot drinks front-of-house, and are the fail-safe solution when it comes to delivering taste and quality.
Simon adds: “As well as a host of operational benefits, we know from independent research and blind taste tests that tea made using Half Fat Millac Maid tastes just like tea with fresh, semi-skimmed milk*. In support of improving operational hygiene and efficiency but without effecting flavour, we’re giving away free samples containing 50 Millac Maid Mini Pots – 78% of caterers who previously used open milk jugs have already discovered the benefits so claim your free box today!”

Millac Maid Mini Pots come in both full-fat and half-fat versions and are sold in cases of 120x12ml or 240x12ml pots. The full-fat option is also available in cases of 480x10ml pots. 

Pritchitts is the foodservice division of Lakeland Dairies, one of the largest farmer-owned dairy co-operatives in Ireland. On a daily basis quality milk is collected from 2,200 farms, where cows graze on lush green pastures in a fifteen county catchment area within the island of Ireland.

*300 consumers, Toluna Survey, April 2015 + 150 caterers surveyed April 2015 ^ At Leatherhead Food Research facilities, consumers tested both tea with Half Fat Millac Maid and tea with pasteurised semi-skimmed milk. Results show that an equal number of consumers believed that tea with Millac Maid tasted like tea with fresh milk.

Download our Chuck the Jug infographic sheet here