Starting in May, Kwik Trip convenience stores will no longer sell bagged milk, a staple for generations of Wisconsinites — and some Minnesotans.

"This is an end to a product that was associated with the Kwik Trip brand for many years, but after evaluating the need and cost for new equipment to replace our antiquated bagged milk equipment, and the decreased customer demand, we made the tough decision to discontinue Nature's Touch milk in the bag," John McHugh, a vice president with the La Crosse, Wis.-based retailer, said in a news release Wednesday.

Kwik Trip owns its own dairy that ships out 80,000 gallons of milk a day to more than 700 retail locations around the Upper Midwest. The company has been bottling and bagging milk for more than 40 years and noted a substantial decline in demand for bagged milk, which is largely a novelty outside of the Midwest and Canada.

"We constantly evaluate our product offerings to ensure we're meeting the needs and preferences of our guests," Scott Zietlow, CEO of Kwik Trip, said in a statement. "After thorough consideration and analysis, we have decided to discontinue bagged milk to focus on items that resonate more strongly with our guests."

Kwik Trip has sold bagged milk for more than 40 years.
Star Tribune file
Kwik Trip has sold bagged milk for more than 40 years.