There are many contenders in the world of nondairy beverages and new ones keep pouring in. Manufacturers of waters, juices, coffees and teas have to continually find ways to set their offerings apart from the competition.

The national effort to turn around the obesity epidemic is steering children away from soft drinks and back to milk-based beverages. The popularity of Greek yogurt has given a shot in the arm to the cultured dairy category. Natural cheese is chic, as tastings and artisanal offerings take off. Ice cream processors welcome the flavor innovators.

Nobody puts butter in a corner. Not anymore. Long shunted to the dietary sidelines because of its saturated-fat content and high caloric value, butter is undergoing a renaissance. You can thank fine-dining (see related article) and a renewed interest in cooking at home for that.

When consumers buy more dairy products, we all win. As an important link between dairy brands and shoppers, solution-based merchandising at grocery stores presents a key opportunity to increase sales.

Ice cream is a price-driven food with little brand loyalty. Sure, consumers say they have their favorite flavors and brands, but when that moment of truth arrives and it’s time to grab a carton from the freezer, price beats brand. The best-selling national brand is “private label.” And the sad truth of it is, Americans are buying less ice cream.

As interesting flavor options, artisan cheeses, portion-control and portability continue to trend up for cheese, so does natural cheese production.

This year’s recipient of the Tom Camerlo Exporter of the Year award from Dairy Foods stands out from the competition in one major way: fewer frequent flyer miles. At least, fewer miles traveled between its export markets and headquarters. After all, when you’ve already got personnel stationed in those markets, there’s no need to visit as often — your company already lives there.