Müller has axed its £12m One a Day brand, blaming rising costs for forcing it to increase its price and its failure to meet sales targets.

The range of five yoghurts and three yoghurt drinks, which was less than a year old, will be phased out over the summer and production will cease by September.

Key to its demise was a price rise from £1.99 to £2.29 soon after launch due to soaring costs within dairy and fruit, claimed Müller.

"We were straight away faced with breaking that psychological £2 barrier in consumers' minds," marketing director Chris McDonough said. "One a Day was already carrying a quality price premium as it is a relatively complex and expensive product to produce because of the high fruit content and the layering process involved."

When it was launched last July, McDonough said it was the biggest launch for Müller UK in five years and represented a "step change in game and performance" for the business.

However, the brand failed to meet retailers' sales and rate-of-sale targets.

"It is disappointing to have made this decision, but if a product doesn't meet retailers' targets within six months then it will be withdrawn," McDonough added.

One buyer said he was not surprised by the news. "It had not been performing to the level we hoped. There's so much NPD coming through within dairy and drinks, but space is limited so we need the right lines on shelf that will deliver the sales."

A £5m marketing programme was earmarked for the brand's first six months, including TV ads, but the budget was cut as a result of cost pressures.

"The challenge for all brand manufacturers is how to truly innovate," said McDonough. "It's much easier in the current market to renovate brands with new flavours or designs.

"It was a very interesting proposition from our perspective and did well in consumer trials. Perhaps it was 18 months to two years ahead of its time."

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