Lewis Road Creamery is a boutique New Zealand dairy company, located in northern New Zealand.[1] They produce a range of milk products, including varieties of milk, cream, ice cream and butter.[2] The company is best known for its brand of chocolate milk, which in 2014 sparked a frenzied, nationwide shortage.
 | |
| Founded | July 2012 |
|---|---|
| Founders | Peter Cullinane, Andrew Railton |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | Milk, butter, cream, ice cream, yogurt |
| Website | www |
History
editDuring 2020 the company was sold to Southern Pastures. Southern Pastures already owned half of the company before buying the remaining shares in 2020.[3] In April 2022 Ben Wheeler was appointed as General Manager of their New Zealand operations, wheeler was the 2021 NZ Marketer Of The Year.[4] As part of Matariki celebrations the company launched a new limited-time product milk infused with Horopito.[5] In 2016 Lewis Road Creamery partnered with OOB Organic to create a limited edition strawberry-flavoured milk.[6]
2014 chocolate milk shortage
edit
In October 2014, Lewis Road Creamery in conjunction with Whittaker's Chocolate launched a new brand of chocolate milk. Initial production was staffed by around five people and totaled around 1000 liters, sold in 750ml and 300ml bottles.[7] Reaction to its release was overwhelmingly positive, centering on its remarkable richness and creaminess.[8] Due to its immense popularity and cult appeal, nationwide demand was greater than the quantity supplied, resulting in a shortage that often saw stores sell out of supplies before the end of the morning.[9]
This shortage prompted local supermarkets and retailers to take extreme measures to secure stock and ensure fair purchasing. In some cases, rationing was implemented so as to limit the purchase to two bottles per person, and security guards were hired to monitor shoppers and fridges containing chocolate milk.[10][11] The shortage also resulted in the emergence of chocolate milk black markets, ranging from scalpers attempting to resell bottles on TradeMe at three to four times their original price to counterfeit chocolate milk production.[12]
Founder Peter Cullinane - formerly of Saatchi & Saatchi - insisted that they did not deliberately engineer the shortage as a marketing strategy. He claimed they were at first worried they couldn't sell the initial production of 1000 litres, but this worry turned out to be unfounded. He said they had a marketing budget of $60,000, but had to stop advertising after spending only a third of it because of unprecedented demand.[13]
References
edit- ^ South, Gill (18 March 2013). "Small Business: Peter Cullinane – Lewis Road Creamery". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
- ^ "Fridge » Lewis Road Creamery". www.lewisroadcreamery.co.nz. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
- ^ "Chocolate milk turns to gold: Lewis Road Creamery sold". NZ Herald. 15 October 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
- ^ "Lewis Road Creamery announces new GM". NBR | The Authority since 1970. 7 April 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
- ^ "Lewis Road Creamery launches Winter Spice Milk in celebration of Matariki public holiday". Newshub. 30 May 2022. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
- ^ Heaton, Thomas (16 September 2016). "Lewis Road Creamery release limited edition strawberry milk for Spring". Stuff. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ Narula, Svati Kirsten (31 October 2014). "What's so special about this chocolate milk?". Quartz. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- ^ "Lewis Road tops for taste and sugar". Stuff.co.nz. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- ^ John Anthony; Natalie Polley (16 October 2014). "Demand for choc-milk outstrips supply". Stuff.co.nz.
- ^ Whittaker, John Anthony and Emma (22 October 2014). "Security guards monitor chocolate milk". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- ^ "A Gaze into the Lewis Road Creamery Phenomenon". A Gaze into the Lewis Road Creamery Phenomenon. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- ^ "Wow, we really love this milk". Stuff. 24 October 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
- ^ "Life and death over chocolate milk: the madness of Lewis Road". Idealog. 12 March 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2022.