Flavor trends in Greek yogurt and other cultured dairy foods
From Down Under
Clear containers are believed to help convey the premium nature of the ingredients inside the package. This is why Bellvue, Colo.-based Noosa Yoghurt packages its line of Australian-style honey-sweetened whole-milk yogurts in clear plastic multiserving (8- and 16-ounce) containers. (Noosa is a resort town in Australia.) Consumers can see for themselves the premium, high-integrity fruit included in each container. Varieties are: Blueberry, Honey, Mango, Peach, Raspberry and Strawberry Rhubarb.
Wallaby Yogurt Co., Napa Valley, Calif., a family-owned producer of Australian-style organic yogurts, adds two product lines — Wallababy Organic Whole Milk Yogurt for Babies and Joey Organic Lowfat Yogurt for Kids — to its growing range. (A wallaby is an Australian marsupial and Joey refers to a young wallaby.) Both lines are sold in packs of four 4-ounce cups, an ideal size for young appetites.
“Parents who enjoy Wallaby have been asking us to make a whole milk yogurt for their babies for quite some time,” says Ellie Wells, marketing director. Wallababy is made using organic whole milk, as is recommended for babies, and by adding zinc and vitamin D to further meet a baby’s growing needs. It is available in banana or blueberry flavors and suggested for babies ages six months and older.
Joey is made with Wallaby’s signature Australian-style organic low-fat yogurt and is fortified with vitamin D. Available in grape or strawberry, these carefully selected child-friendly flavors are blended smooth with just the right amount of sweetness. Joey is recommended for ages two years and older.
Processors pledge Greek
As mentioned, Greek is the word when it comes to yogurts, fresh or frozen. Even Wallaby, the maker of Australia-style yogurt, is on board. The company just launched its first line of organic Greek yogurts.
“Initially, there was some hesitation when it came to launching a Greek yogurt. The style and method of manufacturing Greek yogurt is very different from our signature product line,” says Jerry Chou, founder and president of Wallaby. “But as we started to realize how delicious Greek yogurt can be, it became clear that this was the direction we wanted to go in.”
Once the founders had decided this, they tried every brand of Greek yogurt that they could dig their spoons into, and then they developed their own. All Wallaby yogurts are made without the use of starches or other artificial thickeners. Wallaby’s Greek yogurt is strained, which is the authentic way of producing the thick, rich texture. Wallaby also uses its traditional slow-cooking method to create the creaminess and delicate flavor of its Greek yogurt.
The 5.3-ounce flavored varieties are packaged in a two-compartment cup, allowing consumers to control the amount of flavor they get with each spoonful of yogurt. Flavor pairings include blueberries, cherries, honey and strawberries. Traditional plain yogurt is also offered in both a 6-ounce and 16-ounce container.
Another new brand of Greek-style yogurt is Sophie Yogurt, New York City, from Sophie Pachella, a nutrition and fitness expert behind the health and wellness foundation EatStrong. Chocolate, a flavor not typically associated with refrigerated yogurt, yet alone Greek yogurt, was her first offering. Another chocolate variety — White Chocolate Almond — is in the works.
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