Demand for Healthy Products Driving Dairy Market

“What’s In Store 2011," the 25th anniversary edition annual trends report from the International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association, is now available.

The report details consumer and industry trends affecting the dairy case, cheese case, bakery, and deli/foodservice supermarket departments, and includes 196 tables illustrating department sales, per capita consumption, consumer preferences, and random-weight, UPC, and private label sales data.

Current trends in the dairy are fortified, fiber-rich, fat-specific and organic products that health-conscious customers are seeking to keep to obesity at bay. According to the report, the yogurt category is predicted to grow through 2014 with full-fat yogurt taking a sizeable portion (64.5%) of the business because it offers an ideal method to ingest functional ingredients like probiotics and prebiotics that are preserved by the category's cold chain delivery.

Enhanced milks, such as those containing vitamins and minerals spanning from calcium to iron and zinc, and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, are new fixtures in the dairy department. Low-fat and fat-free milks with vitamin E, and those packed with antioxidants and plant sterols, are ushering functional foods with specific health benefits into the daily lives of dairy consumers. Products that promote better gut health, improved immunity, heart, bone and nervous system health, and even beauty benefits are now commonplace in daily meals.

Hummus is leading growth in the flavored spreads and dips category. Small single-serve packages and exotic flavors like spinach artichoke are making this dip a new mainstay that is only increasing in popularity. With less fat, Greek yogurt is also moving into sour cream's traditional role as a base for dips for a healthier alternative. Cottage cheese has become a medium for increased fiber consumption, from servings that provide 20 percent of the recommended RDI to 100-calorie packs of fiber-enriched cottage cheese with fruit on the side.

Sources:

* IDDBA: Healthful Dairy Products Drive Growth in Slow Market