TruMoo® Chocolate Milk Ranked Among Top Five Most Successful New Consumer Packaged Goods Brands Of 2012

DALLAS, April 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- TruMoo Chocolate Milk, a product of Dean Foods (NYSE: DF), has been ranked as the fourth most successful new consumer packaged goods brands of 2012 by Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), the leader in delivering powerful market and shopper information and predictive analysis. Nearly 1,900 new CPG brands were introduced in the US between 2011 and 2012, and TruMoo, which was recognized as a New Product Pacesetter Rising Star in 2011, is among the 11% that met the IRI's strict, industry-recognized benchmarks of exceptional first-year sales success.

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TruMoo is a better-for-you chocolate milk, made with fresh white milk – sourced from regional dairies around the country – and pure cocoa. With less sugar and no high fructose corn syrup, TruMoo is more than just a tasty treat; it's a nutritious choice for the whole family, and one that can be served every day. Like regular milk, TruMoo provides eight essential nutrients: calcium, protein, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin, phosphorus and potassium.

As a shift toward nutritious products across all channels continues to be felt, it is not surprising to find that TruMoo also ranked among the top five new convenience store brands in 2012, one of only two brands to do so in this year's report.

After successful regional retail and school pilots in the Northeast and Pacific Coast regions, virtually all of the flavored milk across Dean Foods' family of regional brands converted to TruMoo, making it one of the largest milk brands in the country by sales and by volume.

"In a relatively short amount of time the TruMoo brand has made an indelible impression among consumers, and we believe the quality of our product, coupled with our nutritious and delicious promise, is the reason for the brand's success," said Greg Schwarz, Vice President of Marketing, Dean Foods. "It is an honor to be ranked so high on IRI's Pacesetter list – and among so many iconic brands. We are pleased to see such a strong consumer response to our brand at checkout. We are constantly striving to delight our consumers with new and better products. This accomplishment galvanizes us to accelerate our innovation efforts."

In 2013, Dean Foods introduced a reformulation of TruMoo. The new product, which hit shelves in January, contains 35 percent less total sugar than a leading chocolate milk brand. And with 40 percent less added sugar than the prior formulation and no high fructose corn syrup, it's no wonder TruMoo has become one of the largest milk brands in the U.S., receiving high praise from parents and school nutrition directors across the country. (The fat-free variety of TruMoo is served in schools and contains only 120 calories per serving and 6 grams of added total sugar content).

The original TruMoo flavor is chocolate sold as 1% low-fat milk in retail and fat-free in schools. Depending on regional and retailer variations, other varieties include strawberry and vanilla and are available in gallons, half gallons, quarts and single serve (primarily 16-ounce) bottles. TruMoo milk is offered in school and foodservice settings in half-pint containers.

The Dean Foods family of dairies making TruMoo regionally with local fresh white milk include:

TruMoo milk in California will differ slightly in nutrition composition due to different regulatory requirements for dairy in that state.

To learn more about TruMoo milk and its nutrition information, visit www.TruMoo.com, Facebook or Twitter.

ABOUT THE REPORT
The IRI Times & Trends Report, "2012 New Product Pacesetters," is available exclusively from IRI, the leader in delivering powerful market and shopper information, predictive analysis and the foresight that leads to action. The findings of this report were compiled based on insights from IRI InfoScan® Reviews, New Product Profiler™ and the 2012 IRI New Products Survey. To download the full report or listen to the New Product Pacesetters webinar replay, visit: http://www.iriworldwide.com/Insights/Publications/NewProductPacesetters.aspx.

ABOUT DEAN FOODS
Dean Foods is a leading food and beverage company in the United States. The Company's Fresh Dairy Direct segment is the nation's largest processor and direct-to-store distributor of fluid milk marketed under more than 50 local and regional dairy brands and private labels. Fresh Dairy Direct also distributes ice cream, cultured products, juices, teas, bottled water and other products. Dean Foods also holds a majority interest in The WhiteWave Foods Company, which produces and sells an array of nationally and internationally branded plant-based foods and beverages, coffee creamers and beverages, and premium dairy products. WhiteWave brands - including Silk®, Horizon Organic®, International Delight®, and LAND O LAKES® - are category leaders and consumer favorites. Alpro is the pan-European leader in branded soy food and beverage products with the Alpro® soya and Provamel® brands. For more information about Dean Foods, visit www.deanfoods.com.

Contact: Corporate Communications, Jamaison Schuler (214) 721-7766; or Investor Relations, Barry Sievert (214) 303-3438

SOURCE Dean Foods