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Dairy giant Danone has expanded its portfolio under its Activia brand with the launch of a new kefir range.

Made with authentic kefir grains and a blend of 16 live culture strains, the new range of drinkable and spoonable kefir also contains calcium to support a healthy gut.

'Authentic' kefir uses genuine kefir grains and requires yeast, this is "what makes kefir different to a regular yogurt," An Activia spokesperson said. "Kefir grains are tiny, cauliflower-like clusters of bacteria and yeast, which are used to ferment milk to make kefir. The bacteria and yeast in the grains turn milk sugars into a creamy, slightly fizzy beverage that supports gut health."

"During the fermentation of yeast, beneficial nutrients/compounds are produced, which could generally increase the nutrient intake of the product, compared to regular yogurt. Activia Kefir combines authentic kefir grains with Activia’s live cultures, offering a diverse blend of 16 strains that support gut health."

Crafted to tap into increasing demand for kefir – according to Activia, searches for kefir have increased by 49% in the last year – the new line is designed to make gut health accessible either at home or on the go.

Available in two formats, spoonable and drinkable, the spoonable range is available in Natural and Strawberry and Raspberry flavour, while the drinkable line is launching in Natural and Strawberry varieties.

Rachel Wright, head of marketing at Danone, said: “At Activia, we have over 37 years of expertise in fermentation, which has established us as the number one gut health yogurt brand in the UK. Given our commitment to supporting digestive wellness, we saw a natural alignment in expanding into the kefir market with a more accessible offering that delivers on both price and taste.”

Wright continued: “Our goal is to make it easier for consumers to understand the benefits of supporting gut health, and with our new kefir range we’re really excited to show the nation that it is possible to support your health and wellbeing if you look after your gut health every day”.

Activia Kefir Drinks is available in 280ml single serve bottles, while Activia spoonable Kefir is launching in 150g two packs.

The new products are rolling out into major UK supermarkets this month, with wider rollout expected by the end of this year.

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