The Booming Apple and Maple Trend is Suggestive of What to Expect in 2025

 

With cocoa prices expected to remain out of control until way into 2026, food and beverage companies are getting creative with local flavors and domestically grown crops. This is apparent in what the dairy and alt-dairy industries are experiencing this autumn. 

Both apples and maple are in full force. Caramel is having a day, too. They are giving pumpkin a good run this season! 

Up until the early 1990s, the U.S. led the world in growing apples. Now the U.S. is in a solid second spot, with China the leader. China is also the leader in pumpkin production. The U.S. barely holds onto the number-five spot. While Canada—namely Quebec—produces the majority of the world’s pure maple syrup, the U.S.—led by Vermont—comes in second place.

There is something comforting about apples and maple syrup, not necessarily together, but why not? Caramel is often considered a distant cousin to maple. They share a sweet brown profile, which enables them to flavor together in harmony. And they both taste great when salted!

Please take note. These are not boring flavors. They are nostalgic flavors with a twist, many born through a collaboration of brands. 

Read more about flavor trends in a feature article I wrote on the topic for Food Business News by linking HERE.

Check out these dairy and alt-dairy innovations that have rolled out over the past month. Many are seasonal items and will be in distribution through the end of November, or until suppliers last. 

While exploring, think about how these great U.S. flavors can be highlighted this spring. How about weaving some local citrus profiles into them. Think lemon caramel, salty lime and strawberry tangerine. 

Citrus is what the swicy (sweet and spicy) trend is all about. The sweet-heat flavor profile involves chiles and citrus. Tajín is one such example. The initial taste of this Mexican seasoning is some mild heat from chili peppers, which is followed by a burst of tanginess from lime and finished with a kick of salt. Emmi Roth has taken its Athenos feta cheese south-of-the-border with a variant dusted in Tajín.

As someone who never much cared for chocolate milk, I would like to see more in the strawberry milk space. After all, one of the best ways to celebrate the end of a cold, dreary winter is with fresh berries. More on this next week!  

Look what coffee chain Dutch Bros is up to. The company brought back Caramel Pumpkin Brûlée, and with it, is rolling out Caramel Apple Rebel (the nostalgic lollipop flavor with green apple and salted caramel infused together in an energy drink with a green apple and salted caramel float) and Cookie Butter Latte (cookie butter-flavored coffee and milk with cookie butter swirl lines inside of the cup and a final touch of Soft Top and cookie butter drizzle).

The Coffee Bean & Tea is also staying away from any flavor that relies heavily on cocoa. The chain is embracing the season by bringing its classic Pumpkin collection of beverages back on the menu and introducing the new flavor of Salted Maple. The company is offering many of these seasonal drinks with an added twist. 

The new Iced Pumpkin Dirty Chai Latte with Cream Cap, for example, is the classic Pumpkin Chai Latte but made with a shot of espresso to make it dirty and topped off with a cream cap.

Califia Farms, a plant-based beverage brand, has brought back its fan-favorite Pumpkin Spice products and has expanded its Caramel Apple line. The Caramel Apple Crumble Oat Creamer is joined by Caramel Apple Almond Latte and Maple Waffle Almond Creamer.

General Mills has brough back Oui Pumpkin Caramel whole milk yogurt, with Cinnamon Apple making its debut. It has real apple pieces atop a creamy cinnamon base. 

Goodbye Summer 2024! 

The Many Joys of Dairy

 

This blog is a nod to the optimistic, positive vibe of the people visiting my hometown, Chicago. Sometimes we need a reminder of who we are and what we are here for. That’s right, I’m talking about all of us in the dairy industry, from the farmer/producer to the nutrition educator, from the manufacturing equipment/ingredient/packaging suppliers to the processors/marketers/retailers, and from the lobbyists to the regulators, we are in the dairy industry for the “joy” dairy brings in so many ways, because most of us would concur, it’s not the money. These are the five of the many Joys of Dairy.  

Joy #1—It’s all about the people. It’s the people we feed with delicious, affordable, accessible nutrition. It’s the people we work with on a daily basis, or maybe see once a year at events such as the upcoming Dairy Forum. (For more information, link HERE.)

“Adopt a growth mindset. Our industry has a growth mindset. Our farmers want to grow, our processors want to grow. And if we aren’t growing, if we aren’t looking toward the future, we’re going to get surpassed by others. We need to keep looking forward, not backwards. We have an opportunity to become the world’s dominant supplier of affordable, nutritious, sustainably produced dairy products. It’s there for us. Let’s go get it. Let’s win for dairy,” said Michael Dykes, president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association at Dairy Forum 2024.

Joy #2—The dairy industry is evolving to stay relevant with today’s consumers. It’s not your grandaddy’s dairy anymore. It’s better. We are eating more dairy than drinking it. There’s no going back. So embrace this and find joy in innovating.  

This is exemplified in Dairy Forum’s theme this year. It’s about pushing the limits of innovation, collaboration and excellence to chart a course toward LIMITLESS success for the industry. It’s about coming together for the better good of the industry to secure hope for future generations.

“We can elevate the premiumization of our products and the precision of our products, and we can do both. Consumers want healthy, they want indulgent. They want convenient, they want inexpensive. We can do both. We are doing both. We are investing in innovation to meet the changing consumer needs,” said Dykes at Dairy Forum 2024. 

Joy #3—Dairy professionals, for the most part, are very good at agreeing to disagree. Think pricing. Think standards of identity. Think plant based. Many dairy processors manufacture plant-based options. They have the correct equipment and skills to do so. The fact is the world needs more sources of protein. Plants are one of the solutions. No one disputes the superiority of animal proteins in terms of amino acid profile and bioavailability. There’s just not enough to go around to feed the growing global population. 

“We are seeing fewer farms, larger farms, more milk per cow. It’s amazing. We’re seeing vertical integration in our industry, we’re seeing consolidation and concentration in our industry, whether that’s good, whether that’s bad, but it is, and it will happen, and it will continue to happen. As a matter of fact, we’re producing twice as much milk today with half as many cows as we were 60 years ago,” said Dykes at Dairy Forum 2024. But, that’s not enough. 

Joy #4—With that said, I think most of the world agrees that dairy cheese rocks. When I worked at Kraft Foods in the early 1990s, my assignment was to formulate fat-free cheese. As you can imagine, that was a very unsatisfying job. But I am thankful, as it energized me to jump to technical writing. Repeat after me. The terms “fat free” and “cheese” do not belong in the same sentence. And, having been around the block a few times, I can safely ask you to repeat this after me. The terms “plant based” and “cheese” do not belong in the same sentence. It’s just weird. 

Plant-based cheese represents barely 1% of all retail cheese sales, according to the Good Food Institute. The percentage of buyers purchasing in the plant-based cheese category more than once decreased from 56% in 2020 to 49% in 2023. 

While plant-based cheese (yes, I put the words in the same sentence) may get better, the fat-free stuff did, too, it’s just not going to thrive in the retail world. There’s a place for it in vegan restaurants, even pizzerias that want to have an alternative to be all inclusive of dietary preferences. But, in my opinion, plant-based cheese is just weird. 

Joy #5—The dairy industry cares. That means you care, too. Our farmers are caretakers of animals and the land. Sustainability is a way of life and a responsibility to future generations. 

“Through innovation and a commitment to climate action, the global dairy sector is paving the way for a more sustainable future, while optimizing dairy’s positive effects on soil and ecosystem services. From farm to fork, advancements in technology, best practices and research are driving substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions,” according to the Global Dairy Platform.

In closing, I quote Dykes one last time. 

“We have a great opportunity ahead of us. Yes, there are a lot of things. There are a lot of distractions. There are a lot of obstacles in the world today and we could dwell on those. Those are not within our control. The things that are within our control are to focus on the future and make sure we’re doing what we need to do to empower and support the people in our organizations.”

Cheers to the future! There’s no going back. (Yes, I went there.)

Dairy Is Well Shopped, with Healthful Snacks Keeping Dairy Relevant

 

“Dairy is well shopped,” said Jonna Parker, principal of fresh foods at Circana, during an IDDBA webinar on August 15, 2024. 

Just check out the dollar and volume growth in the month of July in the table below. The 52-week data is awesome, too!

Delicious flavors and textures, responsible production and affordability. People expect a lot from dairy. Exceed expectations and get maximum value from your process with biosolutions. Please link HERE to learn more from today’s blog sponsor, Novonesis.

Source: Circana/IDDBA

The 2024 Food & Health Survey from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) showed 74% of Americans are snacking at least once every day. In fact, more than half (56%) of Americans replace traditional meals with snacking or by eating smaller meals. Given its growing importance, IFIC conducted additional snacking research in an online survey from May 9 to13, 2024. Findings were made available this week. Download the survey HERE.

“While it is evident that Americans’ snacking behaviors and habits have evolved, we wanted to explore why,” said Wendy Reinhardt Kapsak, president and CEO of IFIC. “Looking at snacking motivators is key to understanding how to help consumers find ways to ‘level up’ their meals and snacks, while also maintaining the joy and satisfaction snacking brings.” 

Given the lack of a consistent definition of a snack, IFIC sought to gain alignment on terminology from consumers. According to the latest IFIC Spotlight Survey, most Americans define a snack as “eating or drinking something between meals” (89%), while less than one in 10 would instead call it “grazing,” “a mini meal,” “a treat” or “picking.”  

Nearly 15% of Americans say their typical snack contains similar foods as their typical meals, but in smaller portions (14%), and 11% report that their typical snack contains similar foods in similar portions as their typical meal.  

While data suggest Americans are mindful of calorie intake, half of Americans do not set calorie goals when snacking. Among those who say they have a target, 17% of consumers aim for 200 calories per snack, while 10% aim for 100 calories. 

Which foods are Americans grabbing for snacks? Sweet (59%), salty (58%) and crunchy (48%) foods take the top slots, and nearly half of snacks are paired with a beverage. When asked what type of food they seek in their typical snack, most Americans seek fruit (58%), compared to only one-third who report vegetables. Protein, as well as grains, contend for second place.  

“People are seeking protein, which is a necessary nutrient in helping them feel satiated and satisfied,” said Milton Stokes, senior director-food and nutrition at IFIC. “According to our data, 56% of Americans choose snacks to satisfy their hunger between meals.” 

Click on graph to enlarge. 

It is not just important to look at what foods and beverages consumers are choosing, but also when they are snacking. More Americans say they snack in the afternoon and evening, yet morning snacks get the highest “healthy” rating.  

Consumers report that their late-night snacks are the least healthy. This insight raises further questions about what motivates their choices and what benefits they seek from different snacking occasions, whether it is a treat after a long day, a stress reliever or a form of reward. 

“What’s interesting is that when we asked consumers why they snack, their first response was purely functional: to satisfy their hunger (45%) followed closely by enjoyment, with 41% claiming it provides an extra treat or indulgence in their day,” Stokes said. “Conversely, only 15% of consumers choose a snack because it is healthy.” 

This is something to keep in mind when developing and marketing snackable dairy foods. Snacking holds different roles for different people at different times. 

“As snacks become more significant sources of overall nutrition needs, consumers are more mindful and more selective,” said Julie Johnson, president, HealthFocus International. “They now approach snacks with the same scrutiny as their meal choices, and expect healthier options, even in indulgent categories.”

“It’s not surprising, then, that snacks increasingly take up a higher share of shelf space in the perimeter aisles of grocery stores,” said Johnson. “Cheese snacks are helping to drive the massive growth in dairy sales, with new product offerings growing nearly six-fold since 2018. This massive growth is not only due to the evolution of snacks to major components of their nutrition intake, but also because cheese fulfills several other consumer interests, including high protein, low sugar, gluten free, low carb and convenience.”

Source: HealthFocus International

While only 15% of consumers report in the IFIC study that they reach for a snack because it is healthy, the data show that Americans want support to improve the healthfulness of their snacks, including ideas for healthy, portable snacks; tips for planning and preparing snacks in advance (currently two in three say their snacks are more spontaneous than planned); and more information about what a healthy snack includes.  

“We see consumers’ interest and enthusiasm for healthy snacking as an amazing invitation to food and nutrition communicators everywhere and in every setting where consumers eat and enjoy food,” Reinhardt Kapsak said. “While most Americans do not consume the daily dietary guidance recommendations for fruits, vegetables, dairy and whole grains, nearly everyone snacks. Given snacking’s widespread popularity and its role in our daily enjoyment, it is important to reconsider, reframe and redefine healthy snacking behaviors to improve the health of all Americans.”

Cut the Salt!

The FDA proposed new three-year, voluntary sodium reduction targets for 163 categories of foods, which, if achieved by the food manufacturing and restaurant industries, would bring Americans’ sodium consumption to safer levels. The majority of sodium in the American diet comes from packaged and restaurant foods, so these targets are crucial to helping Americans reduce their sodium consumption. Excess sodium chloride, or salt, consumption increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and kidney disease. 

Cheese—and the now very trendy cottage cheese—is a major contributor of sodium to the diet. To explore this category specifically, link HERE to FDA’s table of where cheeses are today in sodium levels, the voluntary target, and the voluntary target range for three years from now.  

Click on graph to enlarge. 

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

The FDA describes the new sodium reduction targets as Phase II of an effort that commenced in 2021. At the time, the agency estimated that, if fully achieved, those initial targets would reduce Americans’ sodium consumption from approximately 3,400 milligrams of sodium per day to about 3,000 mg per day, though not nearly as low as the 2,300 milligrams recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Full compliance with the new draft guidance would further reduce average intake to 2,750 milligrams per day. 

The agency also released what it calls a Preliminary Assessment of Progress made from 2010 to 2022. The FDA asserts that 40% of food categories are within 10% of their Phase I targets. Their data also show that, across all food categories, more categories showed decreases (52%) than increases (34%) in their sales-weighted mean sodium content. Dairy is doing its job. Keep up the good work! 

This LINK provides access to the entire report. 

Delicious flavors and textures, responsible production and affordability. People expect a lot from dairy. Exceed expectations and get maximum value from your process with biosolutions. Please link HERE to learn more from today’s blog sponsor, Novonesis.

Putting WOW Into Dairy Foods

 

This 15-minute WEBINAR regarding desserts trend towards familiarity, factors such as spiciness and texture are making a splash in the dessert category as well. New Mintel data reflects the latest on this:

• 48% of U.S. consumers say desserts and confections with familiar flavors are best
• Half of U.S. consumers say texture is an important part of the overall experience of eating desserts
• 24% of U.S. consumers say sweet, hot or smoked flavors would encourage them to try a dessert or confection
• FUN FACT: 25% of US consumers have never heard of cardamom and 21% haven’t heard of marzipan

Everything Dairy Processors Need to Know about the Plant-Based Dairy Sector

 

The plant-based dairy sector is experiencing disruption as dairy processors and start-ups explore emerging ingredients and technologies. Many of these products are getting closer to the real deal. 

Ripple Foods, for example, is rolling out Ripple Shake Ups Protein Shakes, a kids’ protein shake designed to tackle the wrath of “tweenage hanger.” Hangry happens. It happens when the kids are rushing out the door in the morning and don’t have time for a solid breakfast. It happens between classes, between meals and before or after school activities. 

The shakes are formulated with a satisfying combination of 13 grams of pea protein and 3 grams of filling fiber. The shelf-stable shakes are also fortified with 13 essential nutrients for growth and development, while being free from the top-nine allergens.

Protein shakes are still a very small sector in the plant-based beverage category. Milk alternatives, on the other hand, are the largest category. The Good Food Institute (GFI) valued the category at $2.9 billion in 2023, representative of 14.5% of the “milk” category. In the natural channel, this figure is much larger, with plant-based milk representing 41% of dollar sales of all milk sold. This category alone accounted for 36% of all plant-based food dollar sales. 

Milk alternatives have 44% household penetration and a 79% repeat rate of purchase, according to GFI. Households with children were more likely to spend extra on the plant-based milk category. 

3 Premium Irish dairy brand Truly Grass Fed is now in the milk alternative space with new Truly Gluten Free Premium Irish Oat Milk. The vegan product is made with Irish oats and comes in original and extra creamy varieties. The latter can be steamed, frothed or added directly into coffee.

Plant-based creamers saw the most activity in terms of product introductions and dollar and unit sales this past year and the category continues to be very active in 2024. Unit sales grew 4% in 2023 and 14% since 2021, while conventional creamer unit sales declined 1% in 2023. Plant-based creamer’s market share of total creamer was 8%, according to GFI. Sales were higher in the natural channel. 

Household penetration is growing, too, jumping from 11% in 2020 to 15% in 2023, with 65% of these households being repeat purchasers. This is the second highest rate of repeat purchase for plant-based categories, behind only plant-based milk, according to GFI. 

Sweden-based Veg of Lund AB uses potato protein to makes its creamers. The company currently markets a range of DUG Barista-style milks around the world, with plans to introduce plant-based ice cream in the near future. 

In the U.S., plant-based ice creams and frozen novelties were purchased by one in 10 households in 2023, as reported by GFI.  Like other plant-based categories, younger consumers are the most likely buyers. Ways to differentiate in this space are with flavors and inclusions.  

The same is true for yogurt-style products, a category that has had a number of new brands this past year, including private label. True Goodness by Meijer now offers a range of private-label plant-based yogurts made from either almond, coconut or oat. 

Data show that 8% of households purchased plant-based yogurt in 2023, representing 4% share of all retail yogurt sales. That number is almost 20% in the natural channel. Younger consumers and households with children were more likely to buy and spend more on plant-based yogurt. 

For the first time, Muller Vitality plant-based will be available to the out-of-home sector. Muller is offering the product in a 3 kilogram bulk pouch format with separate mixable sauce. Bulk-pack yogurts account for 40% of the out-of-home yogurt market in the U.K., according to the company’s research. 

Chefs and foodservice operators can now purchase Muller Vitality Plant-Based Thick & Creamy and Muller Vitality Plant-Based Healthy Balance Plain yogurt alternatives. They are made with a blend of gluten-free oats and coconut. Both products are vegan and a source of calcium and vitamins B12 and D. 

To ensure maximum flexibility, both variants come only in a plain flavor. This gives customers the opportunity to use it across their menu throughout the day. They can also be mixed with a new range called Muller Mixables to create plant-based toffee, peach or strawberry yogurt alternatives. To enable versatility, the sauce has also been designed to be used beyond yogurt in a wide variety of other foods, such as cheesecake. 

“When we looked at the needs of this sector, it became clear that customers are not only looking for a plant-based yogurt alternative option, they are also looking for a flexible solution, in bulk format, that allows them to use it right across their menu,” said Jon Piper, commercial director at Muller Yogurt & Desserts in the United Kingdom. “So that’s what we have created. What we are also able to bring to the party is decades of experience making delicious yogurts and desserts, and a brand that people know, love and trust. There’s a huge growth opportunity for yogurt and plant-based alternatives in this sector, and we will continue to innovate and fill gaps in the market to ensure we can be the partner of choice within out of home.”

Icelandic Provisions, a leading skyr brand in the U.S., has added Icelandic Provisions Oatmilk Skyr to its lineup. One serving contains 12 grams of protein and simple plant-based ingredients, according to the company. It is sold in 5-ounce single-serve and 16-ounce multi-serve containers. 

“Like our traditional dairy-based offerings, our plant-based Oatmilk Skyr is purposefully crafted using high-quality, clean ingredients to serve as a deliciously thick and hearty wholesome breakfast or snack that will nourish our consumers’ minds and bodies to keep them going,” said Mark Alexander, chief executive officer. 

On the spread side, Miyoko’s Creamery offers European Style Plant Milk Butter made with organic cashew milk. It is cultured and churned using traditional creamery methods. The company recently rolled out Oat Milk Butter in cinnamon brown sugar and garlic parm flavors. 

Plant-based cheese continues to be one of the most challenging vegan categories. It’s just really difficult to get flavor, melt and stretch without cows’ milk, particularly the protein casein. Plant-based cheese represents only about 1% of all retail cheese sales, according to GFI. Seven percent of households purchased plant-based cheese in 2023 compared to 5% in 2020. Repeat rates were down. The percentage of buyers making repeat purchases decreased from 56% in 2020 to 49% in 2023. 

GOOD PLANeT Foods was the first alternative cheese manufacturer to use olive oil and is now using the same technology to make sharp cheddar and smoked gouda slices. Most vegan cheeses are made with coconut oil, and therefore contain high amounts of saturated fat. With olive oil, a slice has 0 grams of saturated fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, and less than half the calories compared to dairy cheese, according to the company. The olive oil also delivers on flavor, texture and meltability. 

Another go-to ingredient in the alternative space is soy, but it is also a common allergen. This is why Mighty Yum has reformulated soy out of the turkey with cheese and ham with cheese Munchables lunch kits. They are also gluten free and “certified free of unhealthy additives.” The vegan meats and cheeses are now made with vegetables, such as parsnips, chickpeas, sweet potatoes and tomato puree. 

The Laughing Cow Plant-Based is made with almond milk. The vegan-certified cheese alternative comes in the same individually portioned wedges as the brand’s cows’ milk cheeses.

Walmart Inc. has introduced Bettergoods, a line of approximately 300 private-label products. The brand is focused on three areas: creating culinary experiences, plant based and “made without.” 

Expect to see more plant-based dairy products getting closer to the real deal.