Building dairy demand one slice at a time

Relationships are the backbone of successful partnerships, and Midwest Dairy’s collaboration with Godfather’s Pizza is no different. Great partnerships don’t happen overnight; they’re built through shared goals, trust and a commitment to growing dairy demand together. That foundation has guided every step of this multi‑year journey.

In early 2023, we began our relationship with Godfather’s by sharing consumer insights on menu trends and investing funding in a pilot limited-time offer promotion focused on menu innovation. As an early test of what collaboration could look like, 368 restaurants across 26 states participated in this LTO, featuring a new Five Cheese and Sausage pizza designed to meet consumers’ appetite for fresh flavors. The program reached over 2 million consumers and delivered more than a 15% increase in incremental unit sales at participating locations — an incredible outcome that set the stage for a deeper partnership.

Building on that early momentum, Midwest Dairy continued to foster the relationship by supporting menu innovation at Godfather’s traditional locations. With checkoff investment, Godfather’s introduced Bacon Ranch Cheesesticks, featuring 15% more cheese, bacon pieces and buttermilk ranch sauce for dipping. Promotional support highlighted how delicious, fresh dairy products are produced and delivered locally by dairy farmers, which reached 1.4 million people. The cheese sticks quickly became a permanent menu item across both traditional and express locations, demonstrating how trust and collaboration can turn a single idea into long‑term dairy demand.

As the partnership matured, Godfather’s took farmer‑focused storytelling one step further. In 2025, the Larson dairy farm family from Creston, Nebraska, joined the Godfather himself for lunch and a photoshoot that became the centerpiece of a multi‑channel promotion. Distributed through email, in‑store menu boards, social media and in‑app messaging, the campaign generated over 1.5 million impressions. Godfather’s also tracked block cheese purchases — shredded on‑site for traditional franchises — which resulted in more than 865,000 incremental pounds of milk sold above typical usage. This phase of the partnership showcased how authentic connections between consumers and farmers can deepen appreciation for real dairy.

A great partnership ages like a well‑loved cheese: steadily, richly and with a flavor you grow to crave. That spirit continues today. In 2026, checkoff’s relationship with Godfather’s Pizza has only grown stronger. This year, we are supporting the creation and launch of the Da Good Stuff campaign, a co‑branded, year‑long effort celebrating the cheese that makes every slice memorable and the essential role of local dairy farmers in producing high‑quality dairy products. Undeniably Dairy‑branded commercials are currently running in the Omaha, Nebraska, and Des Moines, Iowa, markets, complemented by promotional messaging on Godfather’s corporate social channels and website. Franchisees are also receiving content to bring the campaign to their communities. Later this year, another Nebraska farm family will be featured, with even more exciting national announcements ahead.

The value of your checkoff lies beyond limited‑time offer campaigns. Growing sales in dairy is critical, but your investments also live in relationships that continue to mature over time, always guided by farmers’ priorities, proving that the strongest investments, like the finest cheeses, are those that age with purpose.