Overall, dairy milk sales had a positive 52-week period ending Dec. 1, according to Chicago-based market research firm Circana. The dairy milk category saw dollar sales rise by 2% year over year (YoY) to $17.1 billion, and eked out a 0.2% unit sales rise to 4.8 billion.

Refrigerated white milk sales experienced those same percentage gains on both counts. Dollar sales increased by 2% to $9.6 billion, while unit sales picked up 0.2% to 4.2 billion. Under the refrigerated white milk subcategory, private label ranks No. 1 in sales, raking in $9.5 billion during the year ending Dec. 1, a 1% advancement, while unit sales were flat at just under 3 billion.

Ranking second in refrigerated white milk sales was Lynnfield, Mass.-based HP Hood, posting a solid 4% YoY dollar sales gain to 1.2 billion, pairing well with 3% in YoY unit sales growth to 224 million, Circana data reveals.

However, the biggest story in refrigerated white milk belongs to fairlife, a division of Coca-Cola Co. The Chicago-based company, ranking No. 3 in the subcategory, saw dollar sales skyrocket by 28% YoY to $782 million, with unit sales increasing an impressive 21% to 165 million.

Another star in refrigerated white milk was No. 6 ranked Organic Valley. The La Farge, Wis.-based company enjoyed a 16% YoY dollar sales increase to $270 million, while unit sales jumped 13% to 45 million, according to Circana data.

Switching gears to the refrigerated flavored milk subcategory, private label took the top spot, but dollar sales and unit sales were essentially flat, each rising 0.5% to $463 million and 170 million units, respectively. 

Once again, fairlife was the big star in the refrigerated flavored milk subcategory. The No. 2 seller in this subcategory, the company’s dollar sales rose 31% YoY to $230 million, while unit sales picked up 35% YoY to 49 million, Circana data reports. 

No. 10 seller Shamrock Farms was the only other dairy processor among the top 10 sellers to post double-digit YoY dollar and unit sales gains. The Phoenix-based company’s dollar sales improved by 18% for the year ending Dec. 1 to nearly $42 million, only to be bested by a 22% advancement in unit sales to 19 million.

Strong kefir sales

In past reports, we have alluded to kefir sales being hot. This trend is continuing as sales continue to be brisk. Refrigerated kefir sales rose 25% YoY to $189 million for the year ending Dec. 1, bested by a 27% unit sales gain to 49 million. Lifeway Foods continues to dominate the kefir subcategory. The Morton Grove, Ill.-based company’s dollar sales jumped 23% YoY to nearly $167 million, with unit sales rising an almost identical 24% to 44 million, per Circana data.

Although Lifeway Foods sold more than 10 times more kefir than any other competitor for the year ending Dec. 1, some other interesting trends surfaced. This includes the rise of private-label kefir sales. Private label, the No. 2 seller in refrigerated kefir, enjoyed a 90% YoY dollar sales increase to $10 million, topped by a triple-digit YoY unit sales gain of 117% to 3.3 million.

Also worth spotlighting in refrigerated kefir sales in the period ending Dec. 1 is Maple Hill Creamery. The Kinderhook, N.Y.-based company’s dollar sales and unit sales both picked up 36% YoY. Dollar sales came in at nearly $3 million, with the company selling 429,188 units during the recent 52-week period.

To see Milk alternatives, please check out our Market Trends report on the topic later this year.