Dreaming Cow was successful for its Lush range of yogurt drinks.
Entries in the new product categories at this year’s World Dairy Innovation Awards demonstrated the breadth of innovation in the global dairy industry.
FoodBev Media marketing director Isabel Sturgess said: “This is the eleventh annual World Dairy Innovation Awards, and once again we are fascinated by the level of innovation that is shown within the entries. We see new flavours, new concepts, clever packaging, state-of-the-art manufacturing technologies and new ground gained towards a more responsible and sustainable dairy industry.”
There were ten product innovation categories, producing ten winners and a total of 26 further finalists.
In the best yogurt category, there was evidence of the increasing influence of new types of yogurt – including Bulgarian Rose Yogurt from Balkan Treasure; Icelandic skyr from MS Iceland Dairies; and Natural Durian Stirred Yogurt from TH True Yogurt.
Other entries in this category highlighted new propositions – like Kids Yoghurt from Tamar Valley Dairy – and flavours like Kerrygold Rhubarb Yoghurt from Ornua.
Rhubarb, along with ginger, is a massive flavour in the food and beverage sector at the moment, as highlighted by Pots and Co’s victory in the best dairy desserts category with its Rhubarb & Custard Pots.
But the winner of the best yogurt category was DεLTα Mini Meals from Delta Foods, which pairs Greek yogurt with vegetables and toppings for a meal-like snack.
It was one of two victories on the night for Delta Foods, which also took the top prize in the best dairy snack category for the DεLTα Mini Meals range. The other finalist in that category was Fruchee from Dairy Concepts IRL.
The trend for Greek-style yogurt was also reflected in the best ice cream or frozen yogurt category, where Ice Cream Treats came out on top with its Yomega3 Greek Style Frozen Yogurt. Available in flavours like raspberry, the frozen yogurt is high in omega-3 and vitamin D.
Bulla Dairy Foods was a two-time finalist in this category for its Baileys Salted Caramel Ice Cream and Baileys Chocolat Luxe Ice Cream, while Yasso’s Dessert from Yasso and Yo2 from Dairy Farmers of America were also among the finalists.
In the best cheese category, the trend was very much towards flavoured and coated cheeses. The winner was Meiji with its Hokkaido Tokachi Rich 3-Way Cheese Slices. These new slices met the demand among Japanese consumers for stronger flavours of cheese that aren’t ordinarily available in sliced format. The umami-rich cheddar and parmesan cheeses are suitable for topping or filling a sandwich, for toasting, and for consuming on their own as a snack – hence the description ‘3-Way Cheese Slices’.
The other finalists in this category were Käserebellen, with its Hay Flower Rebel coated cheese, and Cracker Cuts from Dutch Farms.
The desire for exotic flavours was borne out by the remaining contenders in the aforementioned best dairy dessert category. China’s Nanyang Polytechnic was shortlisted for its Creamcolli Sandwiched Brocolli Ice Cream, while Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) launched a version of the Indian dessert rasmalai, made from sweetened channa and rabdi, under its Amul brand.
But Nanyang Polytechnic did triumph in the best butter or dairy spread category for its novel Camooringa Moringa and Carrot Milk Spread. Both the best dairy drink category and the best free-from dairy product category showcased new technologies and processes for manufacturing dairy products.
Made By Cow triumphed in the best dairy drink category for its cold-pressed raw milk, which is made using a revolutionary process that uses cold-pressing as an alternative technique to pasteurisation.
Other finalists in the same category included BiPro Protein Water from Agropur/BiPro; Boa Qu Zhu from Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co; Mango & Passion Fruit Yoghurt Smoothie from Only By Nature; and Shaken Udder’s range of milkshakes.
In the best dairy product which is free-from category, The a2 Milk Company won for its a2 milk that isolates the a2 beta-casein protein, which often causes intolerance among consumers. It offers consumers who are ordinarily sensitive to cow’s milk an alternative option, while retaining the goodness of real dairy milk.
The other finalist in this category was Only By Nature for its line of Luxury Dairy Ice Creams.
Dreaming Cow came out on top in the best functional dairy drink category, which really showed the importance for dairy manufacturers to incorporate added benefits in their core products. Dreaming Cow produces the LUSH brand of fruit and vegetable yogurt drinks, available in several flavours.
This category was topped off by Fuel10K’s Quark, Rousselot/Peptan’s Divine Frozen Yogurt, and two familiar names from other categories: BiPro Protein Water from Agropur/BiPro and Yomega3 Greek Style Frozen Yogurt from Ice Cream Treats.
As well as companies that were shortlisted as a finalist more than once, there were several companies that celebrated winning more than one category on the night – including Delta Foods, Ingredia and Ecolean.
Lastly, the best children’s dairy product category demonstrated the very latest moves in aiming dairy at children. Dairy products can form an essential part of the diet of young consumers, helping them to build strong bones and grow.
Dairy Concepts IRL won with its Fruchee range of dairy bars, available in a handful of flavours as well as individual pods and multipack formats. They compare favourably with some of the biggest yogurt tube brands, including on protein and calcium content, while still offering a fun snack product for children.
Babybel Spirolls from Le Groupe Bel; Milk Buddy liquid milk enhancers from Crème de la Cream; and YogOaty Kids from Shaken Udder Milkshakes rounded off the list.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024