294. Brand Stories: Nestlé MILKMAID, “Marca Señorita”, 1856

MILKMAID EVAPORATED MILK, AD, 1929

The milk known in the Philippines for many years as “Marca Señorita” because of its female brand character, was a product of a dairy company founded by two American brothers, George Ham Page and Charles Page, from Dixon, Illinois.

MILKMAID SWEETTENED CONDENSED STRIP AD, 1929

 Their story began in 1865, when Charles, who was the U.S. Vice Consul of Trade was posted in Zurich, where he marveled at the sight of endless green meadows populated by grazing cows. He saw the potential of producing a new kind of processed milk that was clean and pure, and did not spoil easily due to the addition of sugar. 

MILKMAID EVAPORATED MILK AND ITS USES, 1929

Developed by Gail Borden in the 1850s, the canned “condensed milk” was supplied to American Civil War soldiers in the battlefield. Charles’s brother, George, had learned the process of making condensed milk himself,  from the Gail Borden plant in the U.S. The two brother, thus, joined their heads together, to form the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company a year later, in Cham, Switzerland —the first condensed milk company in Europe—and the future international dairy giant was born.

MILKMAID EVAPORATED MILK AT ITS BEST, 1929

The condensed milk product took the world by storm. By  1868, the brothers’ Anglo-Swiss company was selling over  374,000 cartons of condensed milk, driven largely by demands from Great Britain and its colonies. With the death of Charles in 1873, George took over the helm and by 1891, the company had 12 factories in Europe and the US which exported their famed condensed milk worldwide, under the “MILKMAID” brand.

BEAUTIFUL MILKMAID BABIES OF 1929, Philippine Free Press, 1929 

Meanwhile, in another part of Switzerland,  German immigrant Henry Nestlé had started making waves with a new milk product produced by his Vevey plant. Introduced in 1867, Farine Lacteé, an infant feeding formula, became a huge marketing success. It was just a matter of time that Nestlé expanded its product line and emerged as a rival of the Anglos-Swiss Dairy Company. Despite the competition, both companies thrived due to their shared passion for producing milk products of the highest quality and standards.

1937 SEARCH FOR HAPPY, HEALTHY BABIES, conducted by MILKMAID

While talks of a merger were initially opposed by George Page, his death in 1899 paved the way for the two companies to finally join forces, and in 1905, a deal was sealed with the creation of the Nestlé and Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Company.

As early as 1895, Nestle products like Bear Brand, were being marketed in the Philippines. It was only in 1911 that the sales office of Nestle and Anglo-Swiss Dairy Company was put up here, along Calle Renta in Binondo.

1938 SEARCH FOR HAPPY, HEALTHY MILKMAID BABIES

By the 1920s, there were already 3 milk processing plants in the country led by San Miguel’s Magnolia. To keep up with the growing demand for milk, these plants began importing European milk and reconstituted them locally. It was in this way that Bear Brand and MILKMAID became widely available in the Philippines, becoming household names.

MILKMAID was  highly promoted in the Philippines, and both its evaporated and condensed milk versions were advertised in print ads published in local magazines.

Curiously, because of the bucket-carrying milkmaid trademark illustration that identified the product, Filipinos began referring to MILKMAID as “Marca Señorita” (mark of a Miss), as Spanish was still a major language in the Philippines then. In other countries where it was sold , MILKMAID was translated in the native languages—La Lechera (Spanish), La Laitière (French), Die Milchmädchen (German).

MILKMAID gained more popularity with its ingenious promotions, including launching the search for the happy, healthy babies of the Philippines back in the late 1920s, that was regularly held till the 1930s. It encouraged parents to send photos of their bouncing, beautiful babies, and selected winners had the photos published in the leading magazines of the day.

Another promotion engaged MILKMAID users to save and collect labels to be used to get porcelain tableware marked with the brand logo. The set-building promotion included plates, saucers, cups, milk pitchers that were avidly collected by housewives for their homes.

WINNERS OF THE HAPPY, HEALTH BABIES CONTEST OF 1938

In 1955, Filipro, Inc. acquired the license to produce and market MILKMAID locally, and which later became the local Nestlé company here.  MILKMAID cans had “A Nestlé Product” printed on the label.

1956 MILKMAID 'PEPE AND PILAR' PRINT AD

A WINNER FOR BABY'S HEALTH, 1955

With the surge in prices of goods in 1959, the government stepped in to form the National Marketing Corporation (NAMARCO) to procure, buy, and distribute such commodities in short supply, with a special non-recurring dollar allocation from the Central Bank. MILKMAID was one such product endorsed by NAMARCO.

THE HOUSEHOLD FAVORITE FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS, 1962

Throughout the 50s and 60s decade, MILKMAID advertising continued, and its position in the market was firmly entrenched,until the rise of new evaporated brands in the country like Liberty and Darigold.  Despite its core loyal users, MILKMAID started looking  more traditional as modern canned milk brands with new formulations gained their foothold. 

'SENYORITA" AND GROWING CHILDREN, 1960

GROWING CHILDREN AND SENYORITA GO TOGETHER, 1960 .

In the 1970s, MILKMAID regained prominence with the “grow Tall, Little Man” campaign, topbilled by then-chils superstar, Nino Muhlach.

THEIR HEALTH IS PRECIOUS!",MILKMAID AD,  1961

In 2007,  Nestlé gave Alaska Milk Corp. the license to manufacture and sell its MILKMAID sweetened condensed milk in the Philippines. Alaska Milk Corp, was acquired by  FrieslandCampina  in 2012, but the plant continues to produce MILKMAID, but no longer carries the Nestlé name. MILKMAID today is promoted as an ingredient for modern confections, sweet treats,  dessserts, and bakery items.

MILKMAID, under Nestle (L) and under FrieslandCampina (R)

SOURCES:

A Condensed History: Th Page Brothers and Anglo Swiss https://www.nestle.com/aboutus/history/nestle-company-history/page-brothers-anglo-swiss