News
National Dairy Council Trade Mark 'Farmed in the Republic of Ireland’
Foodservice Outlets can now be Certified
The National Dairy Council’s packaging Mark ‘Farmed in the Republic of Ireland’ was first introduced at retail level in November 2009.
Research already shows that the concept really means something in the hearts of consumers. In January 2010, just three months after the start of the advertising campaign for the NDC mark, BMR Research showed that already 55% of consumers in the Republic of Ireland stated that milk with the NDC mark is now either the only milk they would consider, or the milk they would look out for first.
Foodservice Outlets Can Demonstrate ‘First Choice’
Foodservice outlets in the Republic of Ireland, ranging from cafes, restaurants, hotels or pubs to staff canteens and Government Departments, now have the opportunity to demonstrate to their customers if they sell only NDC licensed milk and cream by displaying the NDC Certificate of origin.
It enables foodservice outlets to show customers in the Republic of Ireland that they are buying what is increasingly their ‘first’ choice.
How Does Foodservice Certification Work?
The new NDC initiative means that dairies and co-ops licensed to carry the NDC mark, who verify that a foodservice outlet in the Republic of Ireland uses and sells only NDC licensed milk and cream, can apply to the NDC to provide the Certification for the foodservice customer.
The foodservice outlet may only display the NDC Certificate for the period that all milk and cream used or sold in the premises carries the registered NDC ‘Farmed in the Republic of Ireland’ Trade Mark. The NDC Certificate will also only be issued for a period of six months after which it must be renewed upon re-application. The NDC Certificate, once presented, remains the property of the NDC.
What Does the NDC Mark Represent?
The National Dairy Council mark brings clarity to consumers in the Republic of Ireland about the origin of the milk and cream they are buying and helps consumers to make more informed choices.
It gives assurance to consumers in the Republic of Ireland that they are supporting 2,193 local dairy farm families and 2,483 jobs in local dairies and co-ops, because they can clearly identify what milk or cream products have been both farmed and processed locally.
How Can Foodservice Outlets Promote the NDC Mark ?
The NDC Mark cannot be printed or reproduced without prior approval from the NDC. However there are several ways that a foodservice outlet can promote the Mark, based on sign off by the NDC prior to publication:
- Displaying the Certification in a prominent position
- Feature the NDC Mark on your menu
- Use the NDC Mark within any advertising or marketing for your certified business
- Include an overview of what the NDC mark is in any newsletters, e mail etc to customers
- If you have a website, include some short information on the Mark or link to the NDC Website
NB. The NDC Mark Certificate is the property of the National Dairy Council and it, together with any supporting display / POS materials, must immediately be removed from display and the NDC informed if any milk and cream not licensed to carry the NDC Trade Mark is used or sold in the premises.
Regulation & Auditing
The NDC is the legal proprietor of the NDC Mark. Only dairies or processors of milk and cream which is both farmed and processed in the Republic of Ireland, can be licensed by the NDC to use this mark on specific products, as long as they meet all of the necessary criteria. The criteria extend to the variety and traceability of ingredients and therefore it is the dairy co-op or processor who applies for the NDC licence – not the foodservice outlet or retailer.
The NDC has appointed a Monitoring Committee to monitor and control the NDC Trade Mark and to ensure conformance to the rules and regulations of the Licence Agreement by the co-ops and dairies, including independent audits of processing plants in the context of the licence criteria.
The NDC retains the right to undertake random visual inspection sample audits of certified foodservice premises by a member of the NDC team, who will carry out random visual checks on all milk and cream product being used in back up storage, milk dispensing machines etc. 10% of outlets displaying the Certificate will also receive a formal audit which will inspect goods inwards documentation as well as carrying out a visual inspection to verify that 100% of the milk and cream is from NDC licensed dairies.
The NDC has the right to require the Certificate & supporting display/POS materials to be removed from display should non-NDC Trade Mark milk or cream be used or sold in the foodservice outlet.
How Can I Apply ?
If you are a foodservice outlet buying 100% of your milk and cream from any combination of NDC licensed co-ops (listed here), you should contact the dairies to request verification of supply under the NDC licence.
The NDC Certificate will then be issued by the National Dairy Council.
Further information
For further information about the Foodservice Certification programme, contact The National Dairy Council on 01-616 9727 or by emailing ndcmark@ndc.ie