Yoghurt protein claims are a fast rising food trend around the world, led by the USA, according to Innova Market Insights.
Over 10 per cent of recent new yoghurt product launches used protein claims compared to less than three per cent of global food and drinks launches in the 12 months to the end of September, according to the researcher.
Innova noted, however, that the trend was stronger in the USA, where over one-third of introductions were marketed using this positioning. This figure fell to just over six per cent in Western Europe, where only the UK was showing the beginning of a similar trend.
“The rise of Greek and Greek-style strained yoghurts, which are inherently higher in protein than standard lines, has paved the way for the positioning of yoghurts on a high-protein platform,” according to Lu Ann Williams, director of innovation at Innova Market Insights.
“Although most of these are also ‘probiotic', once also a key marketing positioning, problems over health claims in this area have caused companies to divert attention away from digestive health in many instances; often toward nutrient content. This has tended to lead to a focus on the higher protein content of Greek-style products, alongside the traditional focus on their creamy and indulgent image.”
Innova said this has also driven the new 'brogurt' sub-category, which specifically targets men, particularly those interested in fitness, such as Powerful Yogurt in the USA which features a larger “man-sized” 8-ounce cup and 25g of natural protein per pot.
“With high-protein foods one of the most sought-after nutritional choices at the moment, and the need for strained yoghurt to find new ways of promoting itself in the wake of difficulties over the ‘Greek’ descriptor in some instances, the high-protein yoghurt market seems ripe for further development,” Williams said.
One in three new yoghurt products in the US, including the Powerful brand, now include protein claims.
