LTOs are Paramount in 2025

 

All resources suggest next year is going to be very challenging in food and beverage. (Sorry, hate to be Donna Downer.) Global food prices recently rose to an 18-month high, with some food baskets expected to continue climbing, according to market watchers, as reported by CNBC, which also shared that in October, world food commodity prices were at their highest since April 2023. This is  according to the most recent data compiled by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization. Read more HERE.

GLP-1 weight-loss meds have people being more nutrition-conscious with how they consume calories. (It’s no wonder Hostess is struggling. Call me crazy, but I just cannot see kids taking more Twinkies to school…ever!)
And all these tariffs and deportations are really going to mess up the food supply chain. (Many of us warned you!)

With all that said, there is a bright spot in dairy, even if that means we all need to start milking our own cow. For the most part, dairy is local in the U.S. (Good for Americans, bad for exporters.) Dairy—in its many forms, from fluid (milk and creamer) to frozen (ice cream and novelties) and solid (cheese and butter) to viscous (everything else)—is an ideal blank canvas for layering in flavors. 

 

This is where limited-time-offerings (LTOs) come in. They are having an amazing time right now. If you have not noticed, since Halloween, most of the supermarket seems to be filled with LTOs, including the home fragrance aisle. 

Quite possibly half of Aldi is stocked with seasonal merchandise.  Check out this ARTICLE in Food Business News on “Aldi implementing aggressive growth strategy in US.” 

LTOs create an urgency to purchase. As Aldi describes them, “here today, gone tomorrow.” They are often focused on seasonal flavors and themes, but do not have to be. They can focus on philanthropies, sports teams and even local good will, such as a save the rhino at the zoo fund. They can play on nostalgia with a new twist, or “newstalgia.” Fun colors and unique textures add to the experience. Incorporating interactive social promotion brings in the experiential element that consumers crave. This can easily be done with a QR code. 

 

Listen to this 15-minute WEBINAR regarding what’s trending in flavors for dairy foods. You will learn about inclusions that make LTOs scream “buy me now.”

Need Innovation Inspiration? Attend the Dairy Products, Process & Packaging Innovation Conference: February 18-20, 2025 at The Cliffs Resort in Shell Beach, CA.
 
The upcoming Dairy Products, Process & Packaging Innovation Conference is set to bring together a diverse group of dairy producers, processors, suppliers and researchers in the field. The 2025 conference theme is “Navigating Trends, Technologies and Tomorrow’s Consumer,” highlighting the rapidly changing landscape of the dairy sector and the need to adapt to new consumer preferences and demands. 

The program features sessions covering sustainability, new dairy product innovation, automation and more. Attendees will also hear global insights, product success stories, cutting-edge academic research and explore opportunities and challenges for dairy production and processing. The event will provide extensive networking opportunities, connecting participants with industry experts, researchers, and entrepreneurs to facilitate dialogue that can inspire innovation across the dairy industry. 

With early bird registration open until January 5, 2025, this is a must-attend event for those looking to drive innovation in the dairy sector—from processors and suppliers to ingredient manufacturers. This event is co-organized by the California Dairy Innovation Center, California Milk Advisory Board, Dairy Management, Inc., and the California Dairy Research Foundation with support from industry and the Pacific Coast Coalition. Find program details and registration HERE.