As seasoned attendees of the Allergy Show, we always love to see new free from products come to market, and products we champion becoming higher profile.

Allergy Show London 2017 - part of the team at a2 Milk working at the Allergy Show London Olympia! www.intolerantgourmand.com 

This year’s Allergy Show didn’t disappoint, as you can read about here!

One of our clients, a2 Milk™ attended the Allergy Show for the first time this year as sponsors.

It clearly was popular with the majority of attendees, as throughout the course of the show weekend:

  • Approximately 1200 people signed up to find out more about a2 Milk™
  • 272 Litres of fresh milk was sampled, used in the Free from Café coffees and for giveaways
  • 200 Litres of semi skimmed long life a2 Milk given away as a prize
  • 200 a2 Milk large hot drinks given away as a prize at the Free From Café
  • Approximately 100 iconic squeezy cows were won as a prize

Their award-winning milk sponsored the show’s Free From Café, where coffee sold in abundance on all 3 days, and proved to be extremely popular.

Allergy Show London 2017 - the Free From Cafe at the Allergy Show was sponsored by a2 Milk! This was a delicious latte made with a2 Milk! www.intolerantgourmand.com

It was a smart move on their part, because who doesn’t love a decent cup of coffee? And when married with award winning milk, it’s a match made in heaven, no?

Apparently not!

I have faced backlash from a number of people within the allergy world for being supportive of a2 Milk, and that’s ok, but it seems a little odd doesn’t it?!

The reason?

a2 Milk™ is still a dairy product, so why would I, a strong voice and well-known allergy advocate actively support and promote a dairy product when my son is so severely allergic to dairy it causes anaphylaxis?

The answer is simple, it’s because it’s not for him, it’s for me!

I may not suffer with a dairy allergy or intolerance, but I do suffer with medically diagnosed IBS that I spent many years struggling to control, even with medication and controlled diet.

After testing out a2 Milk™ for myself for 4 weeks, I found a noticeable and stark improvement to my often debilitating symptoms, which included:

  • Bloating
  • Cramping
  • Discomfort
  • Nausea
I now use it for myself all the time, and if I ever use other milk, usually only when I am out of the house, in a coffee when on the go, I immediately suffer with bloating and cramping within a matter of hours, with my tummy swelling up like a balloon.
 
A few years ago, a2 Milk™ were not as well known nor as high profile as they are now, and it’s testament to the success of their product that they are now dominating a difficult market with their award winning milk. This year alone, they have won 2 high profile awards, and are up for a 3rd. Impressive stuff from a relatively new company.
It is important to note that their milk is still dairy, and milk consumption in the UK is currently big business, with some 5.2 billion litres of the stuff bought yearly. On top of this, an additional 6 million litres go into products such as cheese, butter and dried milk powder.
From a nutritional point of view, it’s considered to be one of the most nutritionally complete food products that you can consume.
Readers of my blog will have heard of a2 Milk™ before, as I have written a few articles about it, and the science behind it.
To give a quick background, cow’s milk originally contained only the A2 protein, and no A1 protein. Over the years, due to human domestication of cows, the A1 protein is found far more prominently, with regular cow’s milk made up of a mixture of A1 and A2 protein. With a2 Milk™, the cow’s DNA is checked and only cows naturally producing A2 are selected. So, to put it in simple terms, it’s basically like someone who has blonde hair, and someone who has brown hair.
 
A1 protein, found in most dairy milk, is what can be difficult for many people to digest, and is the most common cause of the symptoms as listed above. Our guts find it difficult to break down the A1 protein into individual amino acids, and because of this, they stay as a protein fragment. It’s this that causes the problems people associate with the consumption of milk.
So, back to the product!
 
Today, their products are flying off the shelves, with more space given to them than ever before. So much is the demand, it can sometimes be hard to get hold of!
This was certainly reflected at the Allergy Show, as there were comments throughout the show about them being a well recognised brand, and consumers having seen the iconic big knickers on adverts and across a number of social media campaigns. a2 Milk also sponsored the bloggers meet up packs, and I assisted by baking some delicious free from chocolate cupcakes which went down a storm. They were gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free and made with a2 Milk.
 
Allergy Show London 2017 - delicious wheat-free, gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free chocolate cupcakes made with a2 Milk! www.intolerantgourmand.com
It’s fair to say that there has been a notable shift in perceptions, predominantly for the good. a2 Milk™ are being recognised and associated as a potential solution for those with a perceived lactose intolerance and for those who struggle with digestive issues when consuming regular cows’ milk. This is exactly the market they have been actively working with, and for, so it is encouraging to hear this.

They have never targeted anyone with a dairy allergy. I have repeatedly said in the past, will continue to say, and will also confirm it is stated clearly across their site that a2 Milk™ is NOT suitable for anyone suffering with a milk allergy or with lactose intolerance or galactosemia!’.

They were so concerned about this, there were posters up across the café and the stand to this effect, to make sure that no one consumed the product in error. To my knowledge there were no mishaps.

Rick Miller, Registered Dietician and Nutrition Manager for a2 Milk™ held a talk about how a2 Milk™ could help with IBS symptoms and the science behind it. You can see more about the talk here.

For me, I am so pleased to see that the Allergy Show was a success for a2 Milk™. Yes, it is not safe for everyone, and anyone with a dairy allergy will know not to touch this product as it wouldn’t be suitable. But, they have brought a product to market that is clearly helping people, and most importantly, enabling people who can, to consume dairy, a major food group, and reducing the need for excluding from diet.

As someone who is trained in nutrition, this to me is the biggest plus of all!

Have you tried a2 Milk™? Has it helped your symptoms? I’d love to hear what you think!

Allergy Show London 2017 - a2 Milk sponsored the Free From Cafe at the Allegry Show. This is a delicious latte made using a2 Milk! www.intolerantgourmand.com

 

a2 Milk A new revolution in the free from world - a2 milk is revolutionising the way milk is viewed, particularly for those with a perceived lactose intolerance! www.intolerantgourmand.com 

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