Coles and Woolworths announce intention to go “permeate- free” in milk
Australia’s two main supermarket groups, Coles and Woolworths, have each announced their intention to ensure their private label milks are all “permeate-free” milk.
The ‘statements of intent’ from the two supermarkets appear to be aimed at nullifying the successful marketing of several major processors declaring their brands to be “permeate-free”.
Jim Cooper, the spokesperson for Coles said that Coles’ private-label milk is already permeate-free in some parts of Australia and Coles is now working with their milk processors to make all Coles brand permeate free in the coming months. Woolworths is also discussing a shift to permeate-free milk with its suppliers.
Permeate is a watery by-product, produced by separating milk into cream and powder. It is often added to milk on the basis that it is used “to standardise protein and fat content”. Adding permeate to whole milk also reduces processing cost by re-utilising an existing dairy by-product.
Australian Food News previously reported on Dairy Farmers and Pura Milk brands initiating the marketing of milk as “permeate-free” milk, and then reported that other companies, such as Aussie Farmers Direct and A2 Corporations were claiming their milk was already “permeate-free”. Clearly, a compositional point of difference was being used as a successful marketing tool against the supermarket house brand milks.
However, all such marketing claims and counter-claims now seem to have raised questions about how milk is processed or about the very nature of milk. Consumers are obviously becoming more curious. What the reasonable consumer expects to be in milk that many still call “fresh milk” is a question that may, one day, need further explanation.
Permeate free they declare… well why didn’t they declare this on their label… no wonder why this milk cost $1/L. There is a cost attached to real food. Aussie produced food is real food… There are many labels that are not declared properly. Let’s use Olive Oil as an example… there are oils on the supermarket shelf NOW that have half the product not even olive oil… my point is Aussie Olive Farmers also need your support! You can literally taste the difference…. Please think Aussie Extra Virgin Olive Oil the next time you go shopping! I am putting you all to a challenge… let me hear your feedback….
It’s about time they owned up to the truth! For years i complained to family and friends that the milk was not the same as it used to be! I have been drinking milk by the glassful all of my life every day, and quite some years ago i noticed a change in the way it left a residue in my mouth and throat after evry drink. The change was dramatic to say the least ! I left me feeling thick in the throat and full of phlegm every time that i would drink milk, however being a lover of milk that i was i kept drinking. Once some of the companies took the Permeate out of their products within a short time the thickness and phlegm had dissapeard from my throat. So they can not tell me that this product was harmless to everyone!!!
I made my morning coffee, grabbed unopened PURE MILK PERMEATE FREE fresh milk bottle, unsealed the bottle cap, poured some directly from the bottle to my coffee cup. I saw few white worm kind white bugs were swimming on top my coffee.. They were about 10mm long, pure white, has legs as well !!!!!!!!!!
I will never drink milk again, and the worst thing I dont think i can offer any milk to my kids again.
LMAO Jane, you have a very active imagination when it comes to cream…