Dairy - yoghurt 2024: shoppers want full fat, high protein

Yet again, interest in low-fat yoghurt is thinning – and it’s Müller Light that’s borne the brunt. It’s the only top 10 yoghurt brand to have shed both value and volumes, by 8.2% and 10.6% respectively.

In the latest effort to revive its fortunes, Müller Light relaunched in July with a new formulation and a multimillion-pound campaign. The  aim was to  reposition the brand and adapt to consumer desire for “more positive and uplifting options”. Early signs have been positive, says Müller.

The decline in lower-fat lines can also be seen in Danone’s Light & Free, which is down 13.6% in value and 11.5% in volumes.

Anna Dominey, MD of The Coconut Collab, says the switch is because consumers are “actively happy to incorporate healthy fats into their diet”.

That’s why its new low-sugar protein Yog, launched in July, provides 10g fat per 100g. To support the launch, The Coconut Collab partnered with nutritionist Emma Bardwell to highlight the important role protein plays at all stages of life, particularly menopause.

Health and wellness

It was a very on-trend thing to do as brands with a focus on health and wellness are among the bigger successes of the year.

Take Fage, which touts “100% natural  ingredients” in its “yoghurt that’s rich in protein and calcium”. It’s shifted an additional 4.6 million kilos and rung up an extra £29.8m.

“Health and wellness trends have been the key drivers prompting us to continue exploring low-sugar and rich-in-protein offerings, while also exploring flavours that balance health and indulgence,” the brand says.

It’s something Arla has capitalised on,  too. It’s up 25.3% in value and 23.4% in volumes, having invested heavily in its protein offer  over several years – most recently launching Protein big pots in Vanilla and Strawberry last month. 

That both lines contain no protein-boosting additives is crucial. As Tor Crockatt, head of marketing at Yeo Valley Production, says, consumers want products “naturally high in protein”.

They’re also keen on products like kefir that have gut health credentials, she adds.

That’s good news for Biotiful Gut Health, which has seen triple-digit growth across value and volume in yoghurt. Founder & CEO Natasha Bowes credits this performance to significant investment in marketing, close relationships with retail partners, and a dedicated team.

Strong innovation has also played a major role, she says. In June, Biotiful unveiled a two-strong range of kefir-based overnight oats made with billions of live cultures. That followed the October 2023 launch of dairy-free Oat Kefir Yor-Gut in two variants.

Read more: Dairy - yoghurts 2023: Brands turn to functional yoghurt lines