The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), Washington, D.C., announced the winners of the 2011 MilkPEP awards. Six category winners and an overall grand prize winner were honored for their commitment to increasing fluid milk sales, promoting the benefits of drinking milk and their use of MilkPEP programs and resources to help increase awareness and sales of their dairies’ branded milk products. 

Grand prize winner Cindy Layne of Producers Dairy Foods Inc., Fresno, Calif., was selected for her cumulative efforts throughout the year to increase awareness and grow milk sales using MilkPEP programs and resources. Layne developed several successful programs in the Fresno Unified School District that encouraged students to drink more milk during breakfast. In addition, she organized several Refuel With Chocolate Milk sponsorship events, including the 100th annual “Bay to Breakers” race, which provided a venue for 24,000 participants and spectators to sample low-fat chocolate milk. Layne will be featured in an upcoming Milk Mustache “got milk?” trade advertisement.

 “MilkPEP is pleased to recognize this year’s MilkPEP Award winners. Each winner demonstrated creativity and a real commitment to success,” says Julie Buric, vice president of marketing for MilkPEP. “These sales and marketing professionals took advantage of the MilkPEP programs in their markets and maximized them in a variety of ways for their dairies. As a result, they helped to drive sales, build brands and educate consumers across the country.”

Winners were named in six categories and received an iPad2 for their efforts. The following processors received category-level recognition:

Retail Promotions: Brian Rahill and Amy Forillo, Lehigh Valley Dairy, Lansdale, Pa.

School Milk: Cindy Layne, Producers Dairy Foods

Refuel With Chocolate Milk: Anthony Escobar, Super Store Industries, Lathrop, Calif.

Marketing & Product Innovation: Vince Front, The Kroger Co., Cincinnati

Local Processor Events: Carol Stewart, Prairie Farms Dairy, Hazelwood, Mo.

Social Media: Barry Wood, Goldenrod Dairy, Symsonsia, Ky.

Sales and marketing professionals can enter the MilkPEP Awards any time throughout the year online at www.MilkPEP.org. Next year’s awards will include a new category, Breakfast at Home, which aligns with MilkPEP’s 2012 marketing plans. The 2012 annual awards will be announced in August 2012.

For complete entry details and rules, go to www.MilkPEP.org.