Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty Expands Add Milk! Campaign to Select ShopRite New Jersey Stores

June 28, 2022

Media Contact: Tariq Thowfeek press@seekerstrategies.com, 832.247.4507 Follow us on Twitter: @BaylorCOHP

Waco, TX – The Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty (BCHP) is expanding an innovative Add Milk! program to select ShopRite stores in New Jersey, providing an incentive for participants of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to purchase healthy fluid milk.

AddMilk! is a pilot project of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that has been operating for a year in West Texas. Since then, it has expanded to Jubilee Food Market in Waco and ShopRite stores in New Jersey. Each participating region utilizes a different redemption model to test the most effective way to encourage healthy milk consumption.

Here’s how Add Milk! works in New Jersey: When SNAP customers purchase skim milk or one percent milk with their EBT card, a dollar paper coupon is generated for every whole dollar spent. The coupon can be used on their next dairy purchase, and any dairy product can be redeemed that lists fluid cow’s milk or cream as a first ingredient – yogurt, cheese, and more!

“USDA is committed to prioritizing nutrition security – which includes consistent access to healthy, affordable foods and beverages that promote good health, such as milk,” said Stacy Dean, Deputy Undersecretary for USDA’s Food Nutrition and Consumer Services. “This innovative program is an excellent example of collaborative action with our partners that uses incentives to encourage SNAP households to purchase and consume more milk—a win-win for promoting healthy diets and supporting American agriculture.”

“ShopRite is proud to take part in a program that helps families get the food they want and need for their families,” said Neil Greenstein, owner and operator of the ShopRite of Newark, a participant in Add Milk! and the setting for the recent kick-off of the program “We know that milk and dairy provide important and essential nutrients for children, and we believe the Add Milk! incentive will make it easier for families, especially those struggling with food insecurity, to access those important foods.”

Ninety percent of Americans do not meet the recommended amounts for dairy consumption, according to Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty.

“Milk is one of our healthiest, safest, and most sustainable beverages – and it is essential for a child’s development,” said Dr. Lori Kanitz, Project Director at the Baylor Collaborative on Hunger and Poverty. “The Add Milk! Healthy Fluid Milk Incentive program could not come at a better time. With families feeling the pinch of rising prices and the lingering effects of the pandemic, the USDA’s commitment to keeping kids healthy through the Add Milk! program makes milk more affordable for those who need it most.”

Add Milk! seeks to increase the purchase and consumption of fluid cow’s milk, which promotes proper child brain and bone development, provides a natural source of protein and reduces the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

“We applaud the collaboration among USDA, Baylor University, and ShopRite to bring healthy, nutritious milk options to SNAP participants in New Jersey as part of the Add Milk! Program,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association. “Milk contributes 13 nutrients to the American diet, including high-quality protein, calcium, vitamin D, and potassium, and health benefits including better bone health and lower risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The Add Milk! Healthy Fluid Milk Incentive program should be viewed as a positive model for strengthening the health and wellness of children and adults participating in SNAP in cities and states across the country.”