196 Markets 
The rapid growth of the ice cream industry has further 
developed a splendid and ever-increasing market for plain con- 
densed bulk milk. Additional impetus has been lent this devel- 
opment since the advent of national prohibition, which caused 
a vast increase in the consumption of ice cream and of soft 
drinks of which ice cream constitutes an integral part. Manu- 
facturers of condensed milk estimate that this has resulted in 
an increase of their production of plain condensed bulk milk 
amounting to from 15 to 20 per cent. 
Market Prices of Condensed Milk.—The price of condensed 
milk is not controlled by the general market of dairy products, 
nor by any board of trade; there is no consistent uniformity of 
price throughout the country as is the case of butter and cheese. 
The price of condensed milk does not necessarily follow the 
rise and fall of the butter and cheese markets, but in the long 
run it is usually affected by abrupt fluctuations of prices of these 
other dairy products, largely on account of the influence of such 
fluctuations on the supply to the condensery of fresh milk. It 
is chiefly governed by local conditions of supply and demand, 
conposition of product and reputation of the individual brand. 
Condensed milk is sold under hundreds of different brands or 
labels. While one and the same concern may sell scores of 
different brands, the brand itself has very little, if anything, to 
do with the quality or composition of the contents of the can. 
Each brand usually sells at its own special price, although the 
various brands put on the market by the same concern often 
contain the same quality of milk and may be filled with con- 
densed milk from one and the same batch. It is customary in 
most factories to fill the cans before they are labeled and the 
orders for different brands of condensed milk are filled from 
the same general stock. ‘The brands serve largely as an in- 
strument to increase the sales and ‘dodge’ competitors. 
Sweetened condensed milk, packed in hermetically sealed 
cans, sells from about $3.25 to $5 per case of 48 sixteen-ounce 
cans and the cans retail at from 5 to 20 cents each, according 
to the size of the cans and market conditions. 
Evaporated milk, unsweetened condensed milk in hermetic- 
ally sealed cans, sells from $2.25 to $4.00 per case, according tg 
the size of the cans and market conditions. 
