Parmalat Canada, which evolved into Canada’s largest dairy about a year ago when Parmalat S.p.A. of Italy first bought Beatrice Foods and then Ault Foods, has emerged from its period of consolidation with big plans to introduce new products and invest in existing brands.

Barb Miller, divisional president, says Parmalat is a ‘strong believer in brands’ adding the company understands the need to bring ‘vitality and product news’ to its categories.

It’s a strategy that calls for a significant marketing investment in Canada, says Miller, and is one of the reasons the Toronto-based company, which is also a major supplier of bakery products, has begun an agency review.

Miller says the company’s looking to hire one agency rather than two, in order to take advantage of a synergy in strategic thinking across its dairy-case brands.

At the time of their purchase by Parmalat, both Ault and Beatrice had their own ad agency. In the case of Ault, it was The Holmes Partnership; for Beatrice, it was Leo Burnett.

Both incumbents have declined to take part in the review. According to Miller, Leo Burnett has bowed out because of client conflicts with the addition of the Ault products, while Holmes has declined because the combined account is larger than the agency could accommodate without radical changes to its structure.

Miller says she’s looking at a list of about four agencies and hopes to have a new shop in place sometime in June.

As for new product introductions, Miller says Parmalat Canada is first going to consider the stable of brands owned by its $8-billion parent, one of the largest dairy companies in the world, to see whether they would be right for the Canadian market.

These include Parmalat (milk), Kyr (yogurt), Chef (cream sauces), Pomi (tomato-based products) and Santal (fruit juices).

Parmalat Canada’s major brands are Beatrice milk and dairy products; Black Diamond, Schneider’s and Balderson cheeses; Parkay margarine; Lactantia butter; and Colonial cookies.