Research from Tetra Pak has found flavoured milk consumption will grow at double the rate of white milk globally between 2012 and 2015, creating opportunities for the industry to improve profitability.
According to the Sixth Tetra Pak Dairy Index, consumers are increasingly turning to tasty, nutritious and conveniently packaged flavoured milk as an alternative to other beverages.
“With white milk increasingly commoditised, flavoured milk offers dairies the opportunity to provide value not only to consumers but to their bottom line,” said president and CEO of Tetra Pak Group, Dennis Jönsson.
“With the right flavours, portion sizing and formulation, flavoured milk can meet a huge range of health, nutritional and lifestyle needs,” he said.
Flavoured milk has traditionally been consumed by children, but Tetra Pak sees scope for growth in the teen and adult markets, as products reach a “sweet spot” where taste and health meet.
“For consumers unwilling to compromise on taste, health or convenience, flavoured milk is proving an increasingly popular alternative to other beverages,” said Jönsson.
Tetra Pak has identified four drivers fuelling the rise in flavoured milk consumption:
- First, the desire for nutritious and healthy food;
- Second, urbanisation, rising prosperity and the pace of modern life, which has increased “on-the-go” consumption of ready-to-drink (RTD) flavoured milk in convenient portion packs;
- Third, consumers’ eagerness to try new food and drinks, with flavoured milk well-poised to meet that need; and
- Fourth, consumers seeking “indulgent” eating and drinking experiences as a way of escaping the daily grind during times of economic uncertainty.
While demand for flavoured milk is forecast to rise globally, the company is forecasting that demand in developing countries, particularly across Asia and Latin America, is set to outpace that of developed countries in North America and Europe.
Seven of the world’s top 10 flavoured milk markets are developing countries, Tetra Pak research shows, and the trend is set to continue from 2012 to 2015. China, South Asia and Southeast Asia drink more than half the world’s flavoured milk.
