Humanitarian Aid

Meeting nutritional needs domestically and abroad.

Challenge Dairy Products Inc. is committed to the production of dairy-based food products to meet humanitarian needs.

Our humanitarian involvement really became a priority to us in 1988 when we first sold large quantities of instant whole milk powder through the U.S.D.A. to the government of Iraq. To our knowledge this was the last dairy product provided to Iraq before that government became hostile to the United States. Once the Iraq War was over, Challenge Dairy Products Inc. was one of the first companies to provide instant powdered milk for the people of Iraq during the reconstruction of that country.

As we began to better understand the critical need for humanitarian food products, we began devoting resources toward producing a line of therapeutic powders and ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) products to help treat severe malnutrition. Challenge has been a major supplier of the National Non-Profit Humanitarian Initiative (NNHI), the Faith Based Initiative, and numerous American PVOs/NGOs. Today, we continue to have a strong interest in global humanitarian aid and provide specific dairy-based products for domestic and international use.

Domestic

The domestic products offered include nutrition bars, UHT Milk, pudding and soup.

• Nutrition Bars - The domestic nutrition bars are tailored to domestic taste preferences and formulated for balanced nutrition. Flavors are mixed berry and apple-cinnamon.
• UHT Milk - Ultra High Temperature (UHT) shelf stable milk is fortified with Vitamins A & D. We offer two sizes: 32 oz. (qt.) and 8 oz. (1/2 pint). UHT milk comes in whole and 2%.
• Pudding - Pudding is aseptic packaged, shelf stable ready to eat. It is available in 3.5 oz. plastic cups in vanilla and chocolate flavors.
• Soup - The lentil soup is milk based, aseptic packaged, shelf stable ready to eat. Lentil soup is offered in a 15 oz. can.

International

Challenge has become the first US plant inspected and approved by several humanitarian organizations to produce therapeutic powders and RUTF dairy-based food products (categorized as F-75 and F-100) for UNICEF. Each product we produce is made according to the formula and standards of the World Health Organization (WHO) for the specific treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM). There are only 2 other plants in the world who have a long-term agreement with UNICEF for F-75 and F-100, and Challenge is the only US company.

Through UNICEF, Challenge RUTF products have been distributed to countries throughout Central America, Africa, and Asia. They include: Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Cameroon, Chad, Eritrea, Niger, Afghanistan, Cambodia, DPR Korea, East Timor, and Nepal.

We have developed a nutrition bar for international use based on recommendations by the Institute of Medicine and National Academy of Science. It meets the nutritional requirements for a “refugee on the run for 15 days”. It is available in chocolate and coconut banana flavors. It has been taste tested with recent African immigrants to the United States and was developed to meet their taste and texture preferences. This product for a malnourished person is also available in a formula for HIV patients and pregnant/lactating women.