Rainbow Milk, a brand of Royal Friesland Foods, was one of the first multinational brands introduced to the Arab world in 1955. Before the advent of air-conditioning and refrigeration, Rainbow Milk provided regional residents, with their first choice in packaged dairy products that were convenient, tasty and nutritious.
On its 50th birthday, Rainbow Milk has launched a new look packaging for its entire range, which includes Evaporated Milk, Milk Powder, Drinking Milk and Sweetened Condensed Milk, bringing synergy to a household name.
Vikas Mittal, Marketing Director for Friesland Foods, said: “Rainbow Milk is a truly established brand in the region. With over 50 years of sales, our quality products are very popular with consumers, as they have become a way of life, handed down through the generations.”
“With the new packaging, we have chosen to put greater emphasis on the 27 vitamins and minerals contained in our products, while still reinforcing its great taste and heritage. This rejuvenation is part of our continuous efforts to evolve with the changing consumer needs in the region. The New design now brings alive the brand promise of ‘More Taste, More Nutrition’ to consumers in an appealing way’
While some of the products are produced at the Royal Friesland Foods plant in The Netherlands, others are being produced in its plant in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This plant is responsible for the production of Rainbow Drinking Milk, which is exported across the Arab world.
Rainbow Milk enjoys a special bond with many people across the region, as it was one of the first branded products that entered here. Annually, in UAE alone, over 400 million cups of tea are served with Rainbow milk. With consumers increasingly focussed on nutrition Rainbow has been first to introduce innovative products like cholesterol free evaporated milk and cardamom evaporated milk.
Not only is Rainbow Milk adorning a new look, the brand is pushing for more health awareness for milk products, particularly as part of a healthy balanced diet. It’s for this reason that Rainbow introduced its drinking milk range with a claim of 27 vitamins and minerals.
Dr. Khalid A. Madani, Consultant Nutritionist at the Directorate of Health Affairs for the Western Region in Saudi Arabia were on hand to talk about the alarming frequency of adolescent obesity, lack of proper nutrition and the importance of vitamins and minerals as part of a balanced daily diet.
Studies in the Arabian Gulf countries showed that only 30-35 percent of school children and adolescents drink milk daily. Also it was found that as the children grow older, consumption of milk decreases and the intake of soft drinks increases. The low intake of milk may have a negative effect on growth development of the children and bone health. It is important that children are encouraged to drink milk daily, at least two glasses, in order to reduce the several chronic conditions during adulthood and old age.
Speaking on the role of vitamins and minerals, particularly calcium, Dr. Madani, said ”It is very difficult to get the daily recommended allowance of calcium from conventional food without consuming milk and dairy products. About 75 percent of calcium intake comes from milk and its derivatives. Calcium is an important element, which represents two percent of adult body weight (approximately 1000-1200gm). 99 percent of calcium is found in the bones and teeth, while the rest is found in body fluids. When you consider the importance of having healthy bones and teeth, the significance of calcium, and thus dairy products in a balanced diet is undeniable.”
GCC national families, which make up the indigenous populations of the region, are facing ever-greater health risks, such as increased cases of type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, thalassemia and obesity, which can be controlled and symptoms alleviated when a healthy diet is followed. According to the doctors, the region’s extensive expatriate population was also facing similar issues.
Rainbow is a brand of Royal Friesland Foods. Royal Friesland Foods is a multinational company that profitably develops, produces and sells a wide range of branded dairy products and fruit-based drinks for consumers, professional users and food producers.
The branded products of Friesland Foods have a strong presence on international dairy markets, especially in the Middle East, Western Europe, Central Europe, West Africa and Southeast Asia. The company operates 90 locations with a total of 17,500 employees; of whom 12,000 work outside the Netherlands. The activities are divided over four product groups: fresh and long-life consumer products, cheese, ingredients and food service products.
