Even dairy processors that long ago earned consumers’ trust and brand loyalty like to offer shoppers a little surprise now and then. Oftentimes, that added jolt of energy to a trip down the retail aisle comes in the form of a limited-time product.

Manufacturers make it their business to stand out among the competition, and when they have a get-it-while-you-can ice cream, milk or cheese to add to their repertoire, the right packaging may make that spotlight shine even brighter.

Marketers put a lot of work into determining what does and doesn’t appeal to consumers, and with limited-edition products, that goes for the packaging and art design for the labeling, too.

Selecting an LTO

Before a dairy processor addresses the look of the packaging itself, it has to land on a limited-edition flavor or product that it thinks consumers will enjoy. Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) senior director of brand marketing Rebecca Heagney said the Kansas City, Kan.-based cooperative’s approach for developing a limited-time product includes a detailed checklist.

DFA, which is dairy farmer-owned, has a number of brands that produce holiday-themed and other seasonal products. When it comes time to create something new for those occasions, collaboration between multiple departments and decision-makers is a must.

“It all starts with ideation and brainstorming what modern consumers want, as well as looking at key equities and partnerships that they are interested in,” Heagney explained.

“Once we have a good foundation, we will test key concepts to see what is most relevant and what consumers would be most interested in buying.”

She said the next step involves working with the company’s R&D team, as personnel in that department identify potential flavors that either would work well for a particular holiday or complement a brand partnership, for example.

“The various flavor options also go through consumer testing,” Heagney added. “Once the concept and flavor are determined, we figure out packaging, custom labels, as well as work with our operations team and plants to manage the manufacturing of products.”

All of those variables have to be in place before the final step – developing and building out marketing plans that highlight what makes the product different and why consumers will want to get it before it’s gone.

Images: Dairy Farmers of America

In order to maximize the potential reach of a limited-time offering, Heagney said DFA makes sure it fully understands what consumers are looking for in a given dairy product. She said having that knowledge at the ready involves constantly reviewing food and beverage trends, as well as broader popular inclinations outside of the industry.

“We use those insights to create new ideas and then we test with our consumers to see if it resonates,” Heagney said of selecting a special product to roll out.

For another source of feedback, she said DFA also stays in communication with its retail customers, who relay what they are seeing from shoppers’ tendencies in stores throughout the country.

“Once we decide on the concept, we do product development and graphic development to bring that consumer idea to life,” Heagney said. “We will get consumer feedback along the way, as well, to continuously optimize the graphics, name and formulation.”

Productive packaging

Images that decorate a special product’s packaging can become a crucial component of its overall success if they bring an additional stimulating element to the product.

Heagney said while DFA brands often utilize existing packaging formats – pints, quarts and half gallons, for example – for their uncommon products, she also pointed out that those prototypical packages arrive on retail shelves “with a new, on-trend color, packaging graphics and flavor that make a big impact.”

Newness is a selling point for consumers. But manufacturers don’t want to break the bank to make it happen. When dairy processors have a special product, they aren’t interested in drastically altering the day-to-day operations for packaging inside of their facilities. Avoiding unnecessary obstacles and costs must be a part of the equation, as well.

“If a new product offering tests well in a different format, we would do extensive consumer testing and then manufacturing capability testing to bring it to life,” Heagney said.

Once the preliminary steps of picking out and testing a limited-edition product are completed, the packaging itself also needs to achieve particular goals for a brand and/or company. Chief among those, undoubtedly, is making sure the project is financially successful.

“Our main objective is to drive volume sales,” Heagney said of what DFA wants out of its limited-time packaging.

“Our LTO [limited-time offering] products are typically seasonally or culturally relevant, fun flavors,” she added, “which are all about helping drive shoppers to make incremental, impulse purchases.”

A product that pops with its packaging at a grocery or big box store can snag a shopper’s attention and further generate that excitement companies are seeking with their special product runs.

Strategies for hitting financial marks vary from company to company. Some manufacturers find that outsourcing some aspects of production for limited-time creations can help keep operations streamlined.

“Contract Packaging & Manufacturing: Drivers of Machinery Investments,” a 2024 report from PMMI: The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, found that many brand owners use contract packaging and/or contract manufacturing to offer a customized product or package – noting this especially was the case for limited runs. PMMI said 48% of contract companies interviewed for the report offer customized products or packaging.

Rebecca Marquez, director of custom research for PMMI, said for larger consumer packaged goods manufacturers, it makes sense to outsource production and packaging of limited-time offers so they don’t have to install special lines solely for a product that isn’t made year-round.

Photo: Chobani

Seasonal inspirations

Ahead of the most recent winter holiday season, DFA used limited-edition packaging to move an otherwise common dairy product – ultra-processed whole milk. Working alongside national retail partner Target, DFA brand Fresh Life sold quarts of milk, simply called Milk for Santa, in Christmas-themed packaging, complete with images of St. Nick’s cap and fluffy white beard. DFA said the milk from its farmer-owners was made not only to keep Santa happy, but also complement holiday cookie plates everywhere.

Of course, plenty of dairy processors turn to limited-time products to generate excitement around their brands. This spring, Texas-based manufacturer Promised Land Dairy collaborated with PEEPS to create a limited time PEEPS Sweet Marshmallow Milk. A LALA, US, Inc. brand, Promised Land Dairy said its special PEEPS flavored milk marked the first brand partnership for the company since its debut close to 40 years ago. To help the special flavor stand out in retail milk cases, Promised Land Dairy wrapped the bottles with bright yellow labels and a prominently placed PEEPS logo, making it clear that the milk had a tie-in with the popular springtime marshmallow confection treat.

In late 2024, Hiland Dairy Foods utilized special packaging to highlight its seasonal flavored milk line, adding a new Peppermint Mocha variety to accompany its Pumpkin Spice and Chocolate Mint varieties from previous years. Hiland Dairy said it designed the limited-edition cartons with “vibrant colors and playful designs that evoke the warmth and cheer of fall and winter celebrations.”

“Our customers eagerly anticipate these flavors every year, and we wanted to make the experience even more special with eye-catching cartons that capture the essence of the holidays,” Hiland Dairy marketing manager Sarah Carey said.

This past fall, when McConnell’s Fine Ice Creams collaborated once again with popular apple cider maker Martinelli’s, McConnell’s went an extra step on the seasonal rollout, adding special co-branded holiday packaging to the mix.

Presenting a pumpkin-forward palette for its special fall products last year, Chobani, LLC leaned into the orange and brown fall hues for its packaging. Between Chobani and its La Colombe coffee brand, the company put out eight pumpkin spice products, including two new additions, Chobani Pumpkin Spice Greek Yogurt Drink and Chobani Pumpkin Spice Barista Oatmilk.

Bel Brands USA’s The Laughing Cow brand even tossed its snack-sized cheeses into the limited-time product ring in 2024, when the brand’s Everything Bagel flavor became the first LTO in ts 100-plus years of existence. The Laughing Cow’s Everything Bagel flavor debuted this past August, but the limited run wrapped up in January.

Internationally, Arla Foods-owned Puck, a cheese brand that offers a variety of dairy products in the Middle East, launched a limited-time flavor for its cream cheese line. Arla Foods senior regional category marketing manager Katrina Davison said Puck’s Zaatar Cream Cheese represented a fusion of tradition and innovation for the cream cheese brand that’s a staple in the region.