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Fast Food Maven ~ Restaurant news, trends and culture by Nancy Luna.

O.C. milk company shuts down

July 8th, 2009, 6:45 am · 27 Comments · posted by Nancy Luna, Staff Writer

sunmilk.jpgA Laguna Beach-based company that hoped to woo consumers with a unique formula of its ‘heart healthy’ milk has shut down production.

SunMilk Dairy co-founder Richard Farrell confirmed that the company is no longer producing SunMilk for retailers.

“Unfortunately the product was discontinued. It was marketed wrong,”  Farrell told me in an email statement recently.

Using patented technology, SunMilk stripped saturated fat from hormone-free milk and replaced it with healthier sunflower oils.

The result: a ‘heart-healthy’ milk free of saturated fat.

However, the company promoted SunMilk as a  “sunflower milk”  — something that confused consumers. Instead, it should have been marketed as a “better for you” milk, Farrell said.

Two years ago, company founders raised $10 million to begin marketing SunMilk. (Read OCR milk story) It was sold in Southern California markets, including Ralphs, Vons, Albertsons, Food 4 Less and Bristol Farms.

“There is still a small chance we might re-launch under a new name, but 5%
probably at most,” Farrell said.

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 27 Comments

  • Stu Gotz says:

    i want some

  • yadthink says:

    How was the cost and taste compared to, say, 1% or non-fat milk?

  • Eric says:

    at least his 10 million dollar investment didn’t do anyworse than had he put that money in the stock market!

  • mike says:

    $10 mil, ouch!!!

  • Pinky22 says:

    I liked Sunmilk. It tasted really good but it was way more expensive than regular 1% milk. It was a once in a while treat when it was on sale.

  • stephanie says:

    Why not be a small producer of hormone-free and raw milk? I go between Organic Pastures and Claraville Farms raw milk and they are both extremely delicious! Organic Pastures is closer than Claraville Farms, but I like the latter more because they use glass bottles.

  • Christian says:

    If they say, “The product failed because it was marketed wrong,” isn’t the solution to start marketing it correctly rather than discontinuing it?

  • JohnB says:

    I bet the stories about “Reduced Fertility In Women Linked To Low Fat Dairy Food” didn’t help their marketing either, or the general shift to more basic (less tampered with) food during the recession.

  • alfred says:

    …i think humans are the only creatures that drink milk after they are weaned..whaz up with that!

  • Tamara says:

    It’s such a shame that it’s discontinued. It was a really good product and was the only milk that I’d drink. What’s the alternative?

    • waiting says:

      Water. I appologize if that makes it too simple for you. Would you nurse on a cows udders? Would you? Think about it.

  • Richard says:

    I liked it. And I am the whole milk drinker. Too bad it’s gone.

  • Dave says:

    Personally, I would rather have Swiss Dairy milk. They are, by far, the best tasting and healthiest milk out there! Their milk last the longest in the industry. They also make a milk called Over the Moon which is excellent!!

  • Dave says:

    By the way, oraganic is usually the worst milk out there, bacteria-wise!

    • jojo says:

      Dave do you even know what your talking about, Stremicks is in Santa Ana and What bacteria are you talking about???

      Do your homework have you ever heard of Ultra Pasteurization???

      I think you are think of raww milk and bacteria, it’s like they go hand and hand…

      10 Good Reasons to Go Organic:
      (Brought to you by the Organic Trade Association)

      1. Organic products meet stringent standards. Organic certification is the public’s assurance that products have been grown and handled according to strict procedures without persistent toxic chemical inputs.
      2. Organic food tastes great! It’s common sense — well-balanced soils produce strong, healthy plants that become nourishing food for people and animals.
      3. Organic production reduces health risks. Many EPA-approved pesticides were registered long before extensive research linked these chemicals to cancer and other diseases. Organic agriculture is one way to prevent any more of these chemicals from getting into the air, earth and water that sustain us.
      4. Organic farms respect our water resources. The elimination of polluting chemicals and nitrogen leaching, done in combination with soil building, protects and conserves water resources.
      5. Organic farmers build healthy soil. Soil is the foundation of the food chain. The primary focus of organic farming is to use practices that build healthy soils.
      6. Organic farmers work in harmony with nature. Organic agricultural respects the balance demanded of a healthy ecosystem: wildlife is encouraged by including forage crops in rotation and by retaining fence rows, wetlands, and other natural areas.
      7. Organic producers are leaders in innovative research. Organic farmers have led the way, largely at their own expense, with innovative on-farm research aimed at reducing pesticide use and minimizing agriculture’s impact on the environment.
      8. Organic producers strive to preserve diversity. The loss of a large variety of species (biodiversity) is one of the most pressing environmental concerns. The good news is that many organic farmers and gardeners have been collecting and preserving seeds, and growing unusual varieties for decades.
      9. Organic farming helps keep rural communities healthy. USDA reported that in 1997, half of U.S. farm production came from only 2% of farms. Organic agriculture can be a lifeline for small farms because it offers an alternative market where sellers can command fair prices for crops.
      10. Organic abundance — Foods and non-foods alike! Now every food category has an organic alternative. And non-food agricultural products are being grown organically — even cotton, which most experts felt could not be grown this way

  • Lori Ngo says:

    I’ve used organic milk and Stremick Heritage which I like
    the best.

  • Kathleen says:

    Sun Milk? I loved it!!!! But i have to agree, it was a bit pricey compaired to store brand 2%. It was a treat.

  • anjolie says:

    It was a good product, expensive but good. I think their biggest mistake was to not sell it in gallons. As a mom, I buy lots of milk on a budget. Buying a gallon and saving a buck or so would have made me a weekly buyer instead of waiting for sales or coupons.Horizon and Heritage sell in gallons and always have coupons available.

  • Corey says:

    BRING IT BACK!!! This was the best milk on the market. Re-package it and get it going… It’s the only milk that tastes like whole milk without the guilt. RE-MARKET IT!!!!!

  • From Website:
    Stremicks Heritage Foods™
    4002 Westminster Ave.
    Santa Ana, Ca 92703

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