Farmers Union Iced Coffee

Last updated
Farmers Union Iced Coffee
Iced Coffee.GIF
TypeMilk beverage
Manufacturer Bega Group
Country of origin Australia
Introduced1977
FlavourCoffee
VariantsFarmers Union Iced Coffee Regular, Farmers Union Iced Coffee Strong, Farmers Union Iced Coffee ONE, Farmers Union Iced Coffee EDGE.

Farmers Union Iced Coffee is a flavoured milk drink popular in Australia, primarily the state of South Australia. It continues to be sold under the Farmers Union banner, originally a South Australian co-operative, subsequently the listed company National Foods, and then by a series of subsidiaries of the Japanese brewing company Kirin. The current manufacturer's company name is Bega Dairy & Drinks.

Contents

Launch

First launched in 1977 when Farmers Union was a co-operative of South Australian dairy farmers, the brand has achieved iconic status in South Australia and is now also available in all other Australian states and territories. Branded as “iced coffee”, the coffee milk drink is made with coffee, glucose, and homogenised reduced fat milk and milk solids. In the past Farmers Union Iced Coffee's labelling also made mention of "iced confection" as an ingredient. The flavour of the product changed considerably when this ingredient was removed.[ citation needed ] The product is available predominantly in 600 mL and smaller 375 mL cardboard cartons. However, the 375 mL cartons were changed in 2019 to 300 mL bottles, much like the “Stubby” style of the 750 mL bottles. The standard 600 mL cartons remain the same. It is also sold in 2 litre plastic cartons and 500 mL bottles. It was also sold in 3 litre plastic cartons up until 2017 and 1 litre cardboard cartons up until 2013.

In 2003, Australians consumed in excess of 22 million litres, making it Australia's best selling flavoured milk drink/milk shake at that time. [1] The drink's popularity has more recently been reflected by some McDonald's, KFC and Hungry Jack's restaurants beginning to sell it as a part of their menus across the country.

Responding to demand, the drink holders of the locally made third generation Mitsubishi Magna and first generation of the Holden Cruze were designed to hold both normal round drinks and Farmers Union Iced Coffee cartons. [2]

Many other companies have joined in competition throughout Australia, with a multitude of recipes, packaging styles and sizes.

"Iced coffee" varieties Iced coffee beverages.jpg
"Iced coffee" varieties

Commercials

Farmers Union Iced Coffee in Australia also enjoys a high profile for popular commercials featuring rough male workers acting out ballet with heavy machinery in order to take up their boss on his word that he would provide them with a truck load of Iced Coffee if all his workers took up ballet. Another well-known run of advertisements features a dramatic voice-over detailing world headlines and issues, but shows very low-key average Australian equivalents on screen. [3] These include:

New flavours

On 23 October 2006, two new flavours of Farmers Union Iced Coffee were released in South Australia. Farmers Union Strong Iced Coffee which features a stronger coffee blend, which subsequently began sale in Tasmania, and Farmers Union Light Iced Coffee, which has no added sugar (where aspartame is added as a substitute) and a taste similar to the original.[ citation needed ]

According to the company,[ when? ] both the original variety and the Light flavours contain approximately 18 mg of caffeine per 100 mL, while the Farmers Union Strong Iced Coffee contains 24 mg.[ citation needed ]

The Light Iced Coffee proved to be rather unpopular, as many consumers did not like the slightly weaker taste and instead chose the original. In August 2011, [4] the company released a new product, Farmers Union Iced Coffee One, claiming that One had "100% taste, 1% fat and no added sugar", and was a completely new formulation. [5] One was not overly popular at launch, given the reputation of the Light Iced Coffee, leading to a huge promotion in December 2011, where customers who 'liked' the On the Run Facebook page could print a coupon from the internet, and redeem one of 10,000 free Iced Coffee Ones from any petrol station or convenience outlet in South Australia. [6]

Farmers Union Iced Coffee features in the 2023 film Emotion Is Dead , written and directed by Pete Williams. [7]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kahlúa</span> Coffee-flavoured liqueur

Kahlúa is a brand of coffee liqueur owned by the Pernod Ricard company and produced in Veracruz, Mexico. The drink contains rum, sugar, and arabica coffee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milk</span> White liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals

Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest solid food. Milk contains many nutrients, including calcium and protein, as well as lactose and saturated fat. Immune factors and immune-modulating components in milk contribute to milk immunity. Early-lactation milk, which is called colostrum, contains antibodies and immune-modulating components that strengthen the immune system against many diseases. The US CDC agency recommends that children over the age of 12 months should have two servings of dairy (milk) products a day, and more than six billion people worldwide consume milk and milk products.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frappuccino</span> Starbucks iced coffee drink

Frappuccino is a line of blended iced coffee drinks sold by Starbucks. It may consist of coffee or crème base, blended with ice and ingredients such as flavored syrups and usually topped with whipped cream and or spices. It may also include blended Starbucks refreshers. Frappuccinos are also sold as bottled coffee beverages in grocery stores, convenience stores and from vending machines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cream soda</span> Soft drink

Cream soda is a sweet soft drink. Generally flavored with vanilla and based on the taste of an ice cream float, a wide range of variations can be found worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flavored milk</span> Sweetened dairy drink

Flavored milk is a sweetened dairy drink made with milk, sugar, flavorings, and sometimes food colorings. It may be sold as a pasteurized, refrigerated product, or as an ultra-high-temperature (UHT) treated product not requiring refrigeration. It may also be made in restaurants or homes by mixing flavorings into milk.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caffeinated drink</span> Type of drink

A caffeinated drink, or caffeinated beverage, is a drink that contains caffeine, a stimulant that is legal practically all over the world. Some are naturally caffeinated while others have caffeine added as an ingredient.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kofola</span> Czechoslovak soft drink

Kofola is a carbonated soft drink produced by the eponymous Czechoslovak company, which is headquartered in Krnov, Czech Republic. It is the principal rival of Coca-Cola and Pepsi in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The company is one of the leading soft drink producers and distributors in Central and Eastern Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coca-Cola Amatil</span> Defunct Australian beverage company

Coca-Cola Amatil Limited (CCAL) was an Australian bottler of non-alcoholic beverages that existed from 1904 to 2021, when it merged with Coca-Cola European Partners to form Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. It was one of the largest bottlers of non-alcoholic ready-to-drink beverages in the Asia-Pacific region and one of the world's five major Coca-Cola bottlers. CCA operated in six countries—Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Samoa. The company also bottled beer and coffee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iced coffee</span> Coffee served chilled

Iced coffee is a coffee beverage served cold. It may be prepared either by brewing coffee normally and then serving it over ice or in cold milk or by brewing the coffee cold. In hot brewing, sweeteners and flavoring may be added before cooling, as they dissolve faster. Iced coffee can also be sweetened with pre-dissolved sugar in water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beer in Australia</span>

Beer arrived in Australia at the beginning of British colonisation. In 2004 Australia was ranked fourth internationally in per capita beer consumption, at around 110 litres per year; although, the nation ranked considerably lower in a World Health Organization report of alcohol consumption per capita of 12.2 litres. Lager is by far the most popular type of beer consumed in Australia.

Bega Dairy & Drinks is a subsidiary of Australian diversified food company the Bega Group, having been purchased from the Japanese company Kirin in November 2020. While owned by Kirin, it was known as Lion Dairy & Drinks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mayfield Dairy</span> Dairy products company in the United States

Mayfield Dairy Farms is an American dairy products company, with its headquarters in Athens, Tennessee and additional production plants in Birmingham, Alabama. From 1990 to 2020 it was under the ownership of Dean Foods. Dairy Farmers of America acquired Mayfield in March 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big M</span> Brand name of flavoured milk

Big M is a brand of flavoured milk that was founded in Victoria, Australia, in 1977. It was launched by the Hawthorn-based and newly formed Victorian Dairy Industry Authority (VDIA), which replaced the more regulatory-oriented Victorian Milk Board. In November 2020, Australian company Bega Cheese purchased Lion Dairy & Drinks from Japan's Kirin Holdings, acquiring Big M and other notable brands from the Japanese entity. This acquisition followed an earlier attempt made by Mengniu Dairy to acquire the brand in November 2019, which was rejected by the Foreign Investment Review Board.

Oak is an Australian pasteurised flavoured milk brand owned by a French multinational corporation, Lactalis. It was first established in 1967 in New South Wales, as the general dairy brand of the Raymond Terrace Co-operative and its successor the Hunter Valley Co-operative Dairy Company. The origin of the Oak brand goes back to 1903. Oak flavoured milk was launched in Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria in 1998. It was discontinued in Victoria in 2006 but relaunched in 2010. Oak launched in Western Australia in October 2013.

Fortuna is a drink beverage company in Poland owned by and part of the Agros Nova. The company was founded in 1987 with the carrot-flavoured Karotka drink in a carton. The company's slogan is Full of Life. In 2003, the company was bought by the Agros Nova firm; the firm expanded the company's different products, bringing more customers to its products.

Agros Nova is a company in Poland specializing in juices, processed fruit and vegetable products. Brands include Łowicz, Fortuna (company), Fortuna Karotka, Krakus, Tarczyn and Kotlin. Agros Nova Sp. z o.o. was founded in 2000 and is based in Warsaw after being spun off from Agros Holding S.A., a Joint Stock Company founded in 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bickford's Australia</span> Australian beverage manufacturer

Bickford's Australia Pty. Ltd. is an Australian beverage manufacturer based in South Australia. The brand produces traditional cordials, soft drinks, and iced coffee mix originally manufactured by A. M. Bickford & Sons, a pharmaceutical chemist founded by Anne Margaret Bickford in 1864. In 1999, the brandname was acquired by the Kotses family and later renamed Bickford's Australia, after which the brand saw a revival in popularity with the introduction of new flavours and products. In 2006, Bickford's lime juice cordial was recognised by the National Trust of South Australia as a Heritage Icon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bega Group</span> Australian cheese manufacturer

The Bega Group is an Australian diversified food and drinks company with manufacturing sites in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria. Founded as an agricultural cooperative in the town of Bega, New South Wales by their dairy suppliers, it became a public company in 2011 when it listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Close to half of shares publicly traded are still held by Bega's farmer-suppliers. It is currently one of the largest companies in the dairy sector in Australia, with a base milk supply in 2018 of approximately 750 million litres per annum.

References

  1. Convenience Report 2004, ACNielsen (PDF document)? Archived August 24, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  2. Day, Lewin (2024-04-26). "I Live In The Only Place In The World That Needs Square Cupholders". The Autopian. Retrieved 2024-05-29.
  3. Farmers Union Iced Coffee - History Ad, 6 March 2021, retrieved 2023-06-07
  4. Farmers Union Iced Coffee's Facebook page with launch details. 8 August 2011. (Retrieved 17/4/12)
  5. Farmers Union Iced Coffee's Facebook Page, with 'One' and 'Light FUIC' compared. 18 August 2011. (Retrieved 17/4/12)
  6. Farmers Union Iced Coffee's Facebook status regarding promotion. 1 December 2011. (Retrieved 17/4/12)
  7. Williams, Pete (1 July 2024). "Emotion is Dead May Be the Most South Australian Movie Ever Made". Broadsheet (Interview). Interviewed by Watts, Tim. Retrieved 24 July 2024.