Each country has classic recipes, but there are increasingly cosmopolitan fusions of flavours, textures and styles that are attracting the attention of dairy companies.
Looking at flavours, the most popular subcategories for yogurt desserts are summer fruits with 31% of all products launched. Alternative summer fruits such as wild blueberry and forest fruits are becoming a substitute to the traditional strawberry flavour of yesteryear.
The second most common flavour is chocolate at 17%, closely followed by orchard fruits, milk and cream and vanilla. Different flavours are constantly being introduced to keep consumers looking, some very exotic such as green tea, Stilton and garlic in ice cream.
The trend in the past decade is that flavours are becoming more decadent and indulgent. In particular, Belgian chocolate is being used much more often as it adds a premium touch to products, for example in the UK Weight Watchers ‘Rich low fat Belgian chocolate dessert’ and ‘Sainsbury’s Belgian chocolate pot’. In addition, more sophisticated and distinctive flavours are being introduced such as Duchy ‘gooseberry posset’, and Nom Dairy producing a, ‘strawberry and morello cherry compote’.
The most common textures within dairy desserts are rich, creamy, smooth and velvety. Examples of these are Waitrose deliciously smooth low fat yogurt and Activia intensely creamy velvety vanilla.
In terms of marketing, many global brands use provenance of ingredients or intermediates to promote flavour, such as Morrison’s ‘Canadian blueberry yogurt’ and Budgens Madagascan vanilla yogurt.
Another increasingly common trend across the globe in terms of marketing is co-branding. This involves partnering with a successful brand with the main aim being to increase product awareness and convert shoppers of the main brand into the licensed dessert.
Low fat, gluten-free, organic and digestive health are the main health positionings moving new product development forward within the dairy dessert sector. Therefore, the main area for potential growth is for more healthy desserts that combine the benefits of both indulgence and health, better for you and with taste appeal is a winning formula.
Novelty and single-serving products are also an important part of this trend as many consumers prefer the pre-packed portion when counting calories and fat, as they can calculate exactly what they’re consuming.
In regards to packaging, 58% of all chilled desserts are in plastic pots, 12% plastic cups and 11% have a cardboard sleeve. Another common trend with in the dairy dessert sector is lidding film that reduces the need for outer packaging sleeves by delivering enhanced product appeal.
Hamish Renton is managing director for Hamish Renton Associates. This is a personal blog and views expressed are his own.
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