The star of the cultured category continues to be Greek yogurt, but other international-style yogurts are vying for attention. Plus, bold, exotic flavors, on-the-go products and a high-protein emphasis are showing up throughout the cultured dairy case.
Concentrated milk or whey protein ingredients are often added to cultured dairy beverages to boost the protein level and to contribute to viscosity and mouthfeel.
Greek introductions continue to dominate growth in the yogurt category, but the other cultured segment to watch is drinkable yogurt. Volume sales in 2012 were 211 million pints and the latest IRI data for 2013 showed yogurt drinks experiencing double-digit growth in the United States.
Origin Food Group LLC, based in Statesville, N.C., is the maker of früsh yogurt & fruit shakes. The yogurt shakes come in strawberry, blueberry, peach and strawberry-banana flavors. Früsh is said to contain 51% more calcium than most drinkable yogurts, includes probiotics and 9 grams of protein per serving. It’s available in 8.4-ounce bottles for a suggested retail price of $1.99. It’s also sold in 32-ounce bottles.
Hamdi Ulukaya has led Chobani to the top of the yogurt category, and for that reason, Dairy Foods names Chobani the 2012 Processor of the Year. But the company’s influence is felt throughout the dairy industry.
In his hit song “American Saturday Night,” country singer Brad Paisley celebrates immigrants’ contributions to American culture, including pizza with Canadian bacon, beer from the Netherlands, Brazilian leather, German cars and the Beatles, not to mention “a French kiss, Italian ice and margaritas in the moonlight.”