WISCONSIN MILK MARKETING BOARD INC

PROGRAM SERVICES #1: MARKETING COMMUNICATIONSMARKETING COMMUNICATIONS HAD FIVE PRIMARY GOALS IN FY2025 TO SUPPORT THE STRATEGY TO DRIVE AFFINITY FOR WISCONSIN DAIRY PRODUCTS WITH AN EMPHASIS ON IMPROVING PERCEPTION OF WISCONSIN CHEESE.1) ELEVATE WISCONSIN CHEESE IMAGE AND AFFINITY BY IMPLEMENTING A ROBUST DIGITAL PLAN TO ENGAGE KEY FOOD FANATIC MESSAGING IN ALL ELEMENTS, PRIMARILY VIA SOCIAL MEDIA, SEO, AND EARNED MEDIA. DFW (DAIRY FARMERS OF WISCONSIN) DEVELOPED A NEW, STRATEGICALLY FOCUSED DIGITAL STRATEGY THAT CAPTIVATED OVER 2.2 MILLION WEBSITE VISITORS, EARNED 5.7 MILLION VIDEO VIEWS, AND 820,000 SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENTS. WE DROVE A 51.5% YEAR-OVER-YEAR INCREASE IN TOP-RANKING SEO KEYWORDS. THROUGH DYNAMIC SOCIAL CONTENT, CULINARY PUBLICATIONS LIKE GRATE. PAIR. SHARE., AND TARGETED ADVERTISING, WE ARE TURNING FOOD FANATICS INTO LOYAL BRAND ADVOCATES - SHOWING THAT OUR CONTENT RESONATES DEEPLY AND CONVERTS MEANINGFULLY. OUR EFFORTS PROPELLED WISCONSINCHEESE.COM TO THE #1 GOOGLE RANKING FOR "CHEESE", CEMENTING OUR LEADERSHIP IN DIGITAL CHEESE CULTURE.IN OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PROGRAM, WE EMBRACED STRATEGIC CONTENT TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE THAT WISCONSIN CHEESE MAKES THE WORLD A BETTER, HAPPIER, TASTIER PLACE. IN FY2025 WE PUBLISHED OVER 1,000 SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS ACROSS INSTAGRAM, TIKTOK, AND FACEBOOK, GENERATING 16 MILLION TOTAL VIDEO VIEWS AND OVER 945,000 ENGAGEMENTS. IN ADDITION, RECOGNIZING A SURGE OF INTEREST IN FOOD-RELATED CONTENT ON PINTEREST, WE ALSO REVITALIZED THE WISCONSIN CHEESE PINTEREST PAGE WITH A NEW STRATEGIC DIRECTION, REFRESHED VISUALS, AND A SEASONAL LINEUP OF RECIPES.THE CULINARY PROGRAM CONTINUES TO CONNECT WITH OUR TARGET AUDIENCES. THIS YEAR, OUR GRATE. PAIR. SHARE. MAGAZINE SAW ITS POPULARITY SOAR ACROSS ALL FIVE SEASONAL ISSUES. THIS FAN-FAVORITE MAGAZINE ACHIEVED 2.92 MILLION IMPRESSIONS, WITH AN AVERAGE READ TIME OF OVER THREE AND A HALF MINUTES - WELL ABOVE INDUSTRY STANDARDS. ADDITIONALLY, OUR E-NEWSLETTER REACHED AN AUDIENCE OF OVER 142,000 SUBSCRIBERS, KEEPING THEM ENGAGED WITH OUR LATEST OFFERINGS.IN OUR WEBSITE EFFORTS, WE ACHIEVED THE #1 SPOT ON GOOGLE PAGE RANKING. OUR WEBSITE ATTRACTED 2.2 MILLION VISITORS TO WISCONSINCHEESE.COM. WITH A KEEN EYE ON GLOBAL DEMAND, WE INTRODUCED A NEW EXPORTS PAGE TO SHOWCASE OUR OFFERINGS. FURTHERMORE, OUR WEBSITE SERVED AS A PLATFORM FOR INTEGRATED CAMPAIGNS ACROSS THE ORGANIZATION, INCLUDING HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE WISCONSIN ART OF CHEESE FESTIVAL AND THE KENTUCKY DERBY RINDS AND ROSES EVENT.2) INVEST IN MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS WITH KEY FOOD FANATIC PUBLICATIONS/BROADCASTS TO CREATE SEAMLESS INTEGRATIONS OF OUR BRAND CONTENT THAT ELEVATE BRAND PERCEPTION AND DRIVE ENGAGEMENT.WE STRATEGICALLY INVESTED IN PREMIUM MEDIA PARTNERSHIPS THAT SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATED WISCONSIN CHEESE INTO THE PREFERRED MEDIA OUTLETS OF FOOD FANATICS, REACHING OVER 20 MILLION ENGAGED CONSUMERS ACROSS TOP-TIER PLATFORMS LIKE FOOD NETWORK, EATER, SAVEUR, AND TASTE. FROM A 13.6 MILLION REACH THROUGH FOOD NETWORK'S HOLIDAY ISSUE TO A 92 NET PROMOTER SCORE (NPS) EXPERIENTIAL EVENT WITH EATER AND PODCAST STORYTELLING WITH TASTE, EACH ACTIVATION ELEVATED BRAND PERCEPTION AND DEEPENED EMOTIONAL CONNECTION. THESE COLLABORATIONS DELIVERED MILLIONS OF ORGANIC IMPRESSIONS, EXPERIENCES, AND CONTENT THAT POSITIONED WISCONSIN CHEESE AS A CULTURAL AND CULINARY ICON.3) DEEPEN ENGAGEMENT WITH INFLUENCERS AND EVANGELISTS THROUGH OUR CHEESELANDIANS.WE SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED BRAND ADVOCACY WITH A 40% SURGE IN OUR CHEESELANDIA COMMUNITY, DRIVEN BY PEER RECOMMENDATIONS AND A REDESIGNED APP THAT SPARKED A 15% BOOST IN ENGAGEMENT. THROUGH HUNDREDS OF QUESTS, SUPER HOST EVENTS, AND THOUSANDS OF MONTHLY CONVERSATIONS, CHEESELANDIANS HAVE BECOME PASSIONATE CHAMPIONS, FUELING DEEPER AWARENESS AND UNWAVERING LOYALTY FOR WISCONSIN CHEESE WITH GENUINE, GRASSROOTS ENTHUSIASM. 4) GENERATE $50M+ IN EARNED MEDIA (>50-1 RETURN) BY CONNECTING WITH AT LEAST 70% OF OUR TARGETED FOOD FANATIC MEDIA LIST - INFORMING, MOTIVATING, AND ENCOURAGING DEEPER STORYTELLING OF WISCONSIN'S ARTISAN CHEESEMAKING.WE GENERATED OVER $70 MILLION IN EARNED MEDIA - DELIVERING A 70:1 RETURN BY STRATEGICALLY CONNECTING WITH MORE THAN 70% OF OUR TARGETED FOOD FANATIC MEDIA LIST AND DRIVING DEEPER, MORE COMPELLING STORYTELLING AROUND WISCONSIN'S ARTISAN CHEESEMAKING. THROUGH 6,000+ PLACEMENTS ACROSS TOP OUTLETS LIKE BON APPTIT, FOOD & WINE, AND EPICURIOUS, AND CAMPAIGNS LIKE NATIONAL CHEESE LOVER'S DAY AND THE KENTUCKY DERBY, WE SPARKED NATIONAL BUZZ REACHING 7.5 BILLION CONSUMERS. OUR BROADCAST EARNED MEDIA SEGMENTS AND NATIONAL SATELLITE MEDIA TOURS FURTHER ENHANCED OUR REACH, RESULTING IN MORE THAN 45 MILLION IMPRESSIONS, OVER 3,000 PLACEMENTS, AND AN AD EQUIVALENCY VALUE EXCEEDING $1.7 MILLION. OUR STRATEGIC PUBLIC RELATIONS EFFORTS NOT ONLY INFORMED AND MOTIVATED, BUT SOLIDIFIED WISCONSIN CHEESE AS A LEADER IN THE CULINARY CONVERSATION. 5) EXECUTE BRAND EXPERIENCES THAT REACH AT LEAST 15,000+ FOOD FANATICS AND PEOPLE THROUGH DIRECT ENGAGEMENT, DELIVERING IMPACTFUL BRAND PRESENCE AT MEANINGFUL AND MAJOR EVENTS.IN FY2025, WE EXCEEDED OUR GOAL BY 20% BY DIRECTLY ENGAGING OVER 18,000 FOOD FANATICS THROUGH IMMERSIVE BRAND EXPERIENCES AT MAJOR EVENTS LIKE THE 151ST KENTUCKY DERBY, WHERE LIVE SAMPLING AND RED-CARPET PRESENCE DELIVERED OVER $15 MILLION IN EARNED MEDIA. SIGNATURE EVENTS LIKE THE CHEESE FAIR OFF THE SQUARE AND OUR SOLD-OUT TOP CHEF BRUNCH DEEPENED CONSUMER AFFINITY, GENERATED LOCAL BUZZ, AND DELIVERED CHEESE SALES OF $15,000 FOR PARTICIPATING COMPANIES, WHILE THE WISCONSIN ART OF CHEESE FESTIVAL LAUNCH IGNITED NATIONAL EXCITEMENT WITH TICKET BUYERS FROM 30 STATES. EACH ACTIVATION STRENGTHENED WISCONSIN CHEESE'S CULTURAL RELEVANCE AND IMPACT ON THE GROUND AND ACROSS DIGITAL AND PR CHANNELS.

PROGRAM SERVICES #2: CHANNEL PROMOTIONSDAIRY FARMERS OF WISCONSIN'S (DFW) CHANNEL PROMOTIONS AREA PROVIDES SUPPORT TO SUPERMARKET RETAILERS, FOODSERVICE OPERATORS, WHOLESALERS AND DISTRIBUTORS THROUGH A VARIETY OF PROMOTIONAL SUPPORT PROGRAMS TO DRIVE DISTRIBUTION, SALES AND AWARENESS OF WISCONSIN ARTISAN AND SPECIALTY CHEESE BOTH DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. IN FY2025, THE PROGRAM HAD THREE OBJECTIVES TO SUPPORT THE GOAL TO INCREASE VISIBILITY, DISTRIBUTION, TRIAL, AND SALES OF WISCONSIN CHEESE IN THE U.S. AND ABROAD, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CHEESE COMPANIES, MAJOR/INFLUENTIAL RETAILERS, AND RESTAURANT CHAINS.1) GROW STRATEGIC INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS, TRADESHOWS, IN-MARKET ACTIVATIONS AND MARKETING. IN FY2025, DFW SIGNIFICANTLY EXPANDED WISCONSIN CHEESE'S GLOBAL FOOTPRINT, ACTIVATING IN OVER 50 COUNTRIES THROUGH HIGH-IMPACT TRADE SHOWS, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS, AND IN-MARKET RETAIL PROGRAMS INCLUDING NEW EFFORTS AND TACTICS IN MEXICO AT CITY MARKET, FRESKO, AND LA COMER. COLLABORATING WITH USDEC, USDA, AND WISCONSIN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (WEDC), WE EXECUTED EIGHT INTERNATIONAL BUYER MISSIONS AND HELPED INTRODUCE MORE THAN 150 NEW SKUS WORLDWIDE, AND 100+ IN CHINA VIA E-COMMERCE. FROM FRANCE TO THE PHILIPPINES AND AUSTRALIA TO ARGENTINA, WISCONSIN CHEESE IS BECOMING A BELOVED GLOBAL BRAND - DRIVEN BY STRATEGIC MARKETING AND STORYTELLING, WORLD-CLASS PRODUCT, AND BOOTS-ON-THE-GROUND ENGAGEMENT.DFW'S EXPORTS TEAM MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES IN SHOWCASING WISCONSIN CHEESE AT FIVE PRESTIGIOUS INTERNATIONAL TRADE SHOWS, INCLUDING SIAL PARIS, GULFOOD, FOOD & HOSPITALITY ASIA, THAIFEX ANUGA, AND SEOUL FOOD & HOTEL. THESE EVENTS ALLOWED US TO CONNECT WITH KEY BUYERS AND IMPORTERS FROM VITAL REGIONS AROUND THE GLOBE, AMPLIFYING THE REACH OF WISCONSIN CHEESE. IN COLLABORATION WITH PARTNERS SUCH AS USDEC, USDA, AND WEDC, THE TEAM EMBARKED ON OUTREACH TRIPS TO AUSTRALIA, CENTRAL AMERICA, AND CHINA, WHERE THEY ENGAGED WITH PROMINENT RETAILERS, FOODSERVICE BUYERS, AND IMPORTERS IN EMERGING MARKETS. THE EXPORTS TEAM ALSO PLANNED AND EXECUTED EIGHT INTERNATIONAL BUYER MISSIONS, BRINGING TOGETHER BUYERS, IMPORTERS, AND RETAILERS FROM COUNTRIES INCLUDING THE UAE, QATAR, KUWAIT, LEBANON, SAUDI ARABIA, THAILAND, CHINA, SINGAPORE, MALAYSIA, INDONESIA, AUSTRALIA, MEXICO, VIETNAM, THE PHILIPPINES, MOROCCO, AND TAIWAN. THESE EFFORTS RESULTED IN THE INTRODUCTION OF OVER 150 NEW ITEMS IN INTERNATIONAL MARKETS. BEYOND TRADE SHOWS AND BUYER MISSIONS, WE CONDUCTED COMPREHENSIVE CHEESE SENSORY AND EDUCATION TRAINING FOR FIVE IMPORTERS AND RETAILERS IN THAILAND, REACHING OVER 150 CHEESE BUYERS AND SELLERS. OUR PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGNS, SUCH AS "CHEESE IS MY LOVE LANGUAGE AND "TASTE OF USA," FURTHER ENHANCED OUR VISIBILITY IN THESE KEY MARKETS. THE REACH OF WISCONSIN CHEESE NOW SPANS NUMEROUS GLOBAL MARKETS, INCLUDING THE MENA REGION WITH NINE COUNTRIES, 13 COUNTRIES IN ASIA, AND 11 COUNTRIES IN EUROPE, WITH POTENTIAL FOR EVEN MORE EXPANSION. WE ARE ALSO MAKING INROADS IN OCEANIA, AS WELL AS NORTH AMERICA, AND SOUTH AMERICA WITH 12 COUNTRIES. AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR GLOBAL FOOTPRINT, THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHTER THAN EVER FOR WISCONSIN CHEESE ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE!2) DELIVER ANNUAL PLANS FOR INTEGRATED PROGRAMS, BUYER MISSIONS, AND TRADE SHOWS WITH TOP 125 RETAIL ACCOUNTS. EXECUTE TWO NATIONAL GROCERY PROMOTIONS AT 10,000+ RETAIL OUTLETS.IN FY2025, DFW COLLABORATED WITH 138 RETAILERS AND DISTRIBUTORS, EXECUTED OVER 1,000 CAMPAIGNS, AND HELPED DRIVE A 6% GROWTH IN WISCONSIN SPECIALTY CHEESE SALES, OUTPACING THE CATEGORY NEARLY THREEFOLD. OUR NATIONAL "SHARE THE JOY AND "WELCOME TO WISCONSIN" PROMOTIONS ALONE REACHED OVER 10,000 RETAIL OUTLETS, SHOWCASING PROUDLY WISCONSIN CHEESE COAST TO COAST THROUGH PARTNERS LIKE KROGER AND SAFEWAY. FROM 31 HIGH-IMPACT BUYER MISSIONS TO MAJOR TRADE SHOW PRESENCE AND IN-STORE ACTIVATIONS, THE TEAM CONTINUES TO SOLIDIFY WISCONSIN CHEESE AS A RETAIL FORCE AND CATEGORY GROWTH LEADER.3) EXPAND CHEESE STATE UNIVERSITY WITH PROFESSIONAL CHEESE SPECIALISTS TO ENHANCE WISCONSIN KNOWLEDGE.BY EXPANDING CHEESE STATE UNIVERSITY (CSU) WITH EXPERT CHEESE SPECIALISTS AND REVAMPING IN-STATE VISIT EXECUTION, WE'VE PROPELLED WISCONSIN CHEESE EDUCATION TO NEW HEIGHTS - SURPASSING 1,000 SCHOLARS, INCREASING CONVERSION RATES TO 31%, AND IGNITING OVER 250,000 CONSUMER CONVERSATIONS ANNUALLY. WITH JOB CONFIDENCE AMONG STUDENTS SOARING BY 123% AND NATIONAL RETAILERS LIKE WHOLE FOODS EMBEDDING CSU INTO THEIR CERTIFIED CHEESE PROFESSIONAL (CCP) TRAINING, CSU'S IMPACT IS BOTH MEASURABLE AND TRANSFORMATIONAL.THE CSU COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO FLOURISH, WITH ENROLLMENT PROJECTED TO EXCEED 3,200 STUDENTS BY YEAR-END. THIS GROWTH INCLUDES 10 KEY RETAILERS WHO EMBRACED OUR GROUP STUDY PROGRAMMING, RESULTING IN OVER 250 NEW CHEESE STATE SCHOLARS. A RECENT SURVEY REVEALED THAT STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN CSU REPORTED A 39% INCREASE IN JOB SATISFACTION AND A 123% BOOST IN JOB CONFIDENCE - PROVING THAT OUR TRAINING PROGRAMS ARE INDISPENSABLE TOOLS FOR RETAILERS.