California mustache you a question

Thirty years ago, milk mustaches were all the rage. Now, California aims to bring them back.

The state’s Milk Processor Board is launching a new series of “Got Milk?” ads for the 30th anniversary of the iconic campaign, which was introduced by the same board in 1993 as a response to falling milk consumption.

This time, their new ads will take the form of posters featuring 12,000+ California residents sporting milk mustaches, as part of an effort by the board to cash in on US consumers’ renewed interest in dairy.

It comes as the industry is quietly reinventing itself. While traditional milk varieties have seen modest declines in recent years, a surge in demand for “value-added milks”—including high-protein, lower-sugar, and lactose-free options—has fueled growth as more shoppers seek functional benefits.

• Overall, dairy milk sales grew 4.6% during the year-long period ending Aug. 10, reversing a yearslong trend of declines.
• Analysts largely attribute this turnaround to the popularity of those premium options.

Meanwhile, the plant-based milk industry saw sales fall 4.4% in 2024, which experts say is due to a combination of rising prices and consumers’ desire for “clean” ingredient labels.

Looking ahead…California’s Milk Processor Board is hoping to replicate the success of the OG marketing campaign, which boosted milk sales both statewide and across the US.