Expo West 2022: Progress with Plant-Based, Dairy-Style Products

 

Anaheim, Calif., welcomed back Natural Products Expo West this week, after sending everyone home two years when the pandemic entered our lives and forever changed us…or maybe not. Expo, which continues through Saturday, has been busier than ever and most folks are not wearing a mask. Proof of vaccination or a negative covid test are required to enter any expo-related spaces. I must admit, on the first day, when only select halls were open, the aisles were so packed, it was hard to move. I wore my mask and also left after awhile as it was an unpleasant experience. It was better the next day when all halls were open. The positive news is that the industry is booming and there’s a lot of activity taking place. 

In fact, during the past two years, many manufacturers took the time to focus, prioritize and invest. There were 2,750 exhibitors this year with 625 first timers. Like with many expos, I sampled, selectively. It was no surprise that the dominant theme was plant based (not CBD), sometimes to the point of being humorous. (Think plant-based ketchup!) 

I do agree with what Andrew Fleming, senior vice president at Acosta said during the opening keynote session. “Everything starts here and blossoms and grows out of here.”

Here are five plant-based products that caught my eye on the show floor. 

CHKP Foods is rolling out chickpea-based yogurt. Each flavor—Blueberry, Plain, Strawberry and Vanilla-- provides 5 to 6 grams of protein per 5.3-ounce cup, which is one of its marketing features. This sets it apart from other plant-based yogurt-style products made from coconut or oats. The product is 100% vegan, gluten free and non-GMO. Plain has no sugars. The others have 8 grams or less of total sugars, which come from the fruit and real sugar. Monkfruit extract helps keep the product sweet without contributing calories.  

The product also comes with a story. The founders are Middle East natives who grew up with chickpeas as a staple food. They always admired the taste, versatility and nutritiousness of these plant-based powerhouses. They have set out to use chickpeas to craft dairy-free products that are not “alternatives” to dairy, rather they are just another delicious, nutritious choice to be made without sacrifice or compromise. 

Forager Project, which describes itself as an organic plant-based creamery, is entering the kids’ space with cashewmilk-based yogurt in 3.2-ounce pouches. It contains probiotics and is fortified with calcium and vitamins A, D and B12. 

There were way too many plant-based ice creams at Expo. Smart marketers know that to compete in this space, you must differentiate. The world does not need another plant-based vanilla ice cream. One way to differentiate is with creative novelties and desserts. Revolution Gelato now offers plant-based gelato pies. They are debuting in Turtle and Pumpkin flavors. 

There were also way too many plant-based cheeses. To a cheese aficionado like me, most don’t even pass the smell test. One company stands out because it’s a dairy. 

Saputo Dairy USA is bringing its range of Vitalite branded vegan-certified, dairy-free cheese alternatives to the U.S. marketplace. The launch of the Vitalite brand into the States follows the success it has had in the dairy-free category in the U.K. since 2003. The retail line includes mozzarella-style shreds and slices, cheddar-style shreds and slices, parmesan-style grated topping and cream cheese-style spread.

Brad Panarese, director of U.S. marketing and brand management told me last night at a media tasting event, “It was time to come to the U.S. market.” 

Dairies making non-dairy options of dairy foods that they excel in tend to have an upper hand in this space. They understand the science and process behind making the real deal, especially cheese. 

The final concept that stood out is functional beverages, a space dairies need to get into now. Pop & Bottle, which has the tagline of “a new way to latte,” is rolling out organic shelf-stable coffee and tea lattes made with either oats or almonds. 

The innovation does not stop there. The beverages include functional ingredients, such as antioxidants, adaptogens and even marine-based collagen. (The latter is why the drinks are labeled dairy free and not vegan.)  

In early February I featured Lifeway Foods’ new Lifeway MSHRM Oat line. This is another example of a dairy making a dairy-free product. The new line of adaptogenic functional mushroom beverages is the latest addition to the company’s extensive portfolio of cultured oat beverages. In addition to containing 10 live and active probiotic cultures plus heart-healthy beta-glucans, the new product line features a variety of functional mushrooms and adaptogens, and will be offered in three unique flavor combinations. They are:

Calm: This reishi mushroom and vanilla flavored drink is designed to decrease stress and anxiety while boosting mood

Support: This is a blend of adaptogenic mushrooms and aronia berry for immune support

Focus: This drink is formulated with the stress-reducing adaptogens in Lion’s Mane mushroom, and L-Theanine from green tea, turmeric and ginger to relax and boost your mood

“The release of our Lifeway MSHRM Oat comes at a time when consumers are seeking out innovative, functional beverages that taste great and include ingredients at the forefront of health research,” said Julie Smolyansky, CEO. “With so much focus on the mental health crisis and the promising research around functional mushroom ingredients, I’m proud to offer these wellness options for everyone to enjoy and add to their self-care toolkits.”

I really wish such functional beverages were made with dairy proteins.  

Speaking of dairy, the “real” dairy message from the expo floor is doing dairy properly. Innovators are jumping on the grass-fed, regenerative agriculture movement. That’s because it is the right thing to do. In fact, there’s a non-dairy ice cream player that now sells grass-fed dairy ice cream.

I am happy to report that dairy is alive at Expo West. I will continue to feature new dairy innovations from expo over the next few weeks. There were MANY! 

Feeling Anxious? Here’s Some Good Dairy Foods News.

 

It’s been one of those insane weeks…and it was a short work week in a short month. Let’s pray for the world and its people.  

I hope you can find some comfort in these words of wisdom from a friend.  

The past is where depression and regret live (thinking about what we wished we had done).

The future is where stress and anxiety live (worrying about what we have to do or what's going to happen).

The present is the safest place we can be. That’s why we should be in the present and appreciate the now.

And I hope this information shared by the National Milk Producers Federation and the International Dairy Foods Association keeps you motivated to produce some of the best-tasting, most-nutritious and economical foods in the world. This is important during the current inflation crisis. 

Source: National Milk Producers Federation

The most recent Consumer Price Index is reporting the fastest retail price increases in costs in 40 years, with a hot economy and tight supply chains pushing up everything from cars to coffee. When consumers and media outlets focus their frustration, it tends to be on the prices that are most widely noticed. Gasoline is the best example. What other product routinely posts its price on big signs next to highways? 

A gallon of milk is another one, as it is a product that is in 94% of households. You can safely assume that a big part of the consuming public knows exactly what milk costs and notices when it rises.

Source: International Dairy Foods Association

This is the most recent year-over-year Consumer Price Index covering overall inflation, food and beverage inflation, and dairy categories. A gallon of whole milk—currently the most popular variety in a jug--is going up, but it is in line with other foods and beverages and lower than overall inflation. Subcategories fare even better. Cheese costs to consumers have barely budged. Ice cream remains an affordable treat. And yogurt, butter, etc., remain compelling choices of affordable, high-quality nutrition.

So what’s going on with the inflation gap? A few things, according to the National Milk Producers Federation. For starters, dairy supply chains tend to be more local and predominantly domestic, meaning some factors driving price gains in imported goods don’t apply. Dairy farmers have also done a great job of keeping markets adequately supplied, even in a year of record dairy export sales.

Source: International Dairy Foods Association

Here is a positive message that needs to be communicated to consumers: Dairy is a place to find value. 

I like to think we have learned a lot since the onset of the pandemic. And one of those things is to not take anything for granted. Every day is a gift. Every smile is a gift. Affordable, delicious and nutritious dairy foods are a gift. They are not something to be taken for granted these days.

To keep dairy products relevant to the evolving consumer, I encourage you to attend the International Dairy Foods Association’s Ice Cream Technology Conference and Yogurt & Cultured Innovation Conference on March 29 and 30. Watch this quick VIDEO for an overview. Link on the banners on this page for detailed information. 

The Powerful Pint is Fueling Ice Cream Innovations for Summer 2022

 

After escaping my home in Chicago to attend Dairy Forum a few weeks ago in Palm Desert, Calif., and then the Winter Fancy Food Show this past week in Las Vegas, I have major spring fever! So, let’s talk ice cream and think about warm summer days. 

The Fancy Food Show, which is produced by the Specialty Food Association, had more than 800 exhibiting companies. The prominent theme of the show was comfort foods with a twist. These products speak to consumers who continue to seek new, yet familiar experiences at home amid the ongoing pandemic. This is fueling innovation in ice cream. 

What makes a food special? The $170.4 billion specialty food industry encompasses foods and beverages that are of the highest grade, style or quality. Their specialty nature includes attributes such as uniqueness, exotic origin, particular processing (and often an intentional lack thereof), design, limited supply, unusual application/use, compelling packaging or channel of distribution/sale. 

Smaller pack size—such as the pint—helps make ice cream special. Pints have been a powerful package size in the world of ice cream for the past decade. They command a premium and invite trial without the commitment to quart or half-gallon container. 

By definition, pints hold 16 fluid ounces of product; however, for economics, some “pint” packs contain a little less. Regardless of how much is inside, pints cost more--often a lot more—on a per-ounce-base than larger-sized ice cream containers. 

Pints help ice cream manufacturers overcome formulation challenges associated with adding lots of inclusions, especially variegates and fruit sauces that impact freezing temperature and product integrity over shelf life. This is something Ben & Jerry’s taught the ice cream industry when the brand started packing in chunks, chips, swirls and all types of flavorful ingredients that could cause the aerated ice cream mixture to collapse in a larger-sized container that would go in and out of the home freezer for multiple eating occasions.  

Pints allow for unique formulations, such as crispy layers, solid fudge tops and cores of goodies. Pints also make sense for limited-edition, special-batch and seasonal concepts. Short-time offerings create an urgency to purchase. When they come in a smaller-sized package, the consumer is often more willing to buy and bring home. There’s less of a commitment. In their mind, it’s a tasting, a sampling event. 

What is it about limited-time-offerings? It’s classic supply and demand. Shoppers recognize if they don’t purchase the product when it hits the store shelf, it may not be available the next shopping trip. They are popular because they allow consumers to be adventurous. This suggests that smaller package size may make the most sense for really innovative flavor combinations.  

Marketers must never forget that with date-specific products, for example, Valentine’s Day (don’t forget, it’s this Monday), the day after comes the discounts. That’s because consumers are ready to move on to the next big event. 

As mentioned, the Winter Fancy Food Show had numerous frozen desserts being showcased. Most were in pints. 

Little Jasmine introduced its U.S.-produced Brown Sugar Milk Tea Boba Ice Cream made with real boba imported from Taiwan. 

Heinlein Foods USA Inc., Miami, debuted its new Karinat frozen yogurt, which comes in Berry, Dulce de Leche, Greek and Passion Fruit flavors. In addition to pints, there are 4-ounce single-serve cups. 

Gelato Festival, a company that collaborates with chefs around the world to develop gelato concepts for its cafes in Europe and Los Angeles, is entering the retail pint business. Its debut dairy product is La Dolce Vita, a chocolate hazelnut flavor. There are also some vegan oat options. 

Marco Sweets & Spices, a New York-based craft ice cream start-up, showcased its culinary-inspired ice cream flavors rooted in a love for travel that first debuted in summer 2020.

The initial launch was five flavors, and since, three more have been added. All celebrate diverse, global ingredients. The company was founded to pay homage to beloved flavors from around the world and transport them from plate to pint. Crafted with epicureans in mind, each variety of Marco ice cream skillfully layers flavors, including fragrant spices sourced from Brooklyn Spice Company, bringing dimension and depth to every bite. 

The initial five flavors were: Aztec Chocolate (rich chocolate with cinnamon, ancho chile and chile de arbol), Ginger Dreamsicle (tart orange and sweet cream with a hint of spicy, bright ginger and rounded out with floral cardamom), Spicy PB Caramel (peanut butter base accented with ribbons of salted caramel and a touch of heat from chile de arbol and Aleppo pepper), Thai Coco-Lime (creamy coconut and tangy lime with a subtle smokey heat from gochugaru chili powder) and Vanilla Chai (traditional vanilla with the comforting flavors of a cup of chai, including cinnamon, ginger, fennel, cardamom, cloves, black pepper and fragrant Madagascar vanilla). 

The three new additions are: Moroccan Honey Nut (honey with almonds and warm Moroccan spices), Turkish Mocha (bold, complex coffee blend with cardamom and chocolate flakes) and Provencal Strawberry (strawberries and cream with notes of lavender and anise).  

Walpole Creamery was established in 2006 in Walpole, N.H., and only until the past few years limited distribution to New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts. Its award-winning ice cream starts with local fresh milk from 200-plus year old family-owned Crescent Farm, located only three miles away. Milk from the farm’s Jersey cows give Walpole Creamery’s house-made Sweet Cream base mix a 1% boost in milk fat over Holstein milk. That rich, creamy base mix is one of the company’s most popular flavors.  

Some of the creamery’s more unique flavors are: Caramel Cashew Chip (caramel ice cream laced with the salty crunch of cashews, and dark chocolate chunks), Fijan Ginger (sweet cream base with sweetly hot ginger) and Udder Joy (coconut ice cream with chocolate chunks and crunchy almonds). 

Beyond Fancy Food exhibitors, Wells Enterprises rolled out limited-edition Halo Top Devil’s Food Cake just in time for Valentine’s Day. (Reminder, again, it is this Monday!) The brand turned this classic decadent dessert into an indulgent frozen pint made with chocolate light ice cream, a white icing swirl and chocolate cake pieces. With just 360 calories per pint and an impressive 19 grams of protein per pint, it’s a loveable treat. 

Southern supermarket chain Publix has seven new limited-edition premium ice cream flavors (in quarts) that will only be available until May. They are: Bananas Foster (banana-flavored ice cream with a brown sugar rum-flavored swirl), Hazelnut Amaretto Biscotti (rich chocolate hazelnut-flavored ice cream swirled with amaretto-flavored cookie crumbles and dark chocolate flakes), Irish Crème Salted Caramel (Irish crème-flavored ice cream with a rich caramel sea salt swirl and caramel truffles), Maple Tiramisu (tiramisu-flavored ice cream with an espresso-flavored caramel swirl, studded with chocolatey espresso flakes and maple-flavored candy bits), New Orleans Caramel Praline (brown sugar ice cream with swirls of thick caramel and crunchy praline pecans), Peanut Butter Pie (peanut butter cheesecake-flavored ice cream with swirls of Mackinac peanut butter cookie ribbons and chocolate-flavored pieces) and Strawberry Shortcake (buttercream-flavored ice cream swirled with ribbons of strawberry-flavored sauce and layered with squares of soft shortcake).

Swedish better-for-you snacks brand Nick’s is rolling out six new light ice cream pints in the U.S. They are: Campfire S’mörgs (marshmallow ice cream with chocolate chunks and graham crackers), Hazelnöt Kram (hazelnut ice cream mixed with chocolate chunks), Raspbär Swirl (vanilla ice cream swirled with tart raspberries and chocolate, Rocky Fjord (chocolate ice cream, nuts and marshmallows), Strawbär Cheesecake (cheesecake ice cream mixed with strawberries and graham crackers) and Swedish Munchies (vanilla and chocolate ice cream with chunks of cookie dough and brownies). Nick’s light ice cream contains nominal net carbs, no added sugars and 260 to 420 calories per pint.

Ben & Jerry’s is growing its popular Topped line, which was introduced a year ago and features a fudgy ganache layer across the top of every pint of ice cream. Each Topped flavor provides all the chunks and swirls ice cream aficionados expect. The ganache is so abundant that the brand suggests that the best way to eat any of the Topped flavors is by using a fork to break through the ganache and mixing the chunks into the layers below. The two new varieties are Chocolate Milk & Cookies and Dirt Cake. Both include a milk chocolatey version of the ganache Topped layer--the original line featured either a dark or white chocolatey ganache—along with a chocolate cookie swirl affectionately dubbed “fairy dust.” Topped Dirt Cake is modeled after the childhood dirt cake dessert and includes a vanilla pudding ice cream base that is covered with enough cookie crumbs to bring back those days of youth.

Hudsonville Ice Cream and Little Debbie have collaborated to put a cold, creamy twist on classic snack cakes. These two family-owned brands introduced seven new ice cream flavors at Walmart stores on February 1st. The flavors are: Cosmic Brownies (brownie batter ice cream filled with mini rainbow chips and brownie pieces), Honey Buns (honey bun-flavored ice cream with glazed honey bun pieces and a sweet cinnamon swirl), Nutty Bars (peanut butter ice cream swirled with chocolatey waffle cone pieces and a thick fudge swirl), Oatmeal Creme Pies (vanilla creme ice cream with soft oatmeal cookie pieces and a hint of molasses), Strawberry Shortcake Rolls (white cake ice cream with yellow cake pieces and a tart strawberry swirl), Swiss Rolls (chocolatey cake ice cream with chocolate cake pieces and a swirl of whipped cream) and Zebra Cakes (white cake ice cream with yellow cake pieces and a milk chocolate fudge swirl). 

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream brought back Dolly Parton’s flavor—Strawberry Pretzel Pie—in celebration of her upcoming book and companion album: Run, Rose, Run. The limited-edition flavor first made its debut online in 2020 and sold out in minutes. 

Upstart ice cream company Frutero recently launched an exclusive flavor with delivery service GoPuff, a testament to the flavor innovation in the category. The new Tangerine n’ Cream flavor join Frutero’s lineup of other tropical ice cream flavors such as Mango, Passionfruit, Guava and more, but is only available through GoPuff. Frutero is on a mission to make everyday a tropical getaway.

Tropical getaway, now that sounds so nice this time of year. Happy Valentine’s weekend. Love, love, love.  

Research Shows Taste Scoops Health in Better-for-You Ice Cream.

 

With blizzards having blanketed more than half of the U.S., during the past two weeks, it seems like a good time to start thinking about summer…and ice cream! While most companies are already in production, and some even in distribution, of their summer 2022 rollouts, here’s something to think about as you brainstorm on future innovations. 

Research published in the Journal of Dairy Science on Nov. 8, 2021, on “Consumer perception of ice cream and frozen desserts in the ‘better-for-you’ category,” identified labeling and sensory preferences among today’s ice cream consumers. 

The research team spearheaded by Lauren Sipple, then a student at North Carolina State University and now a PhD student in food science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, conducted an online survey (n=1,051) of ice cream and frozen dessert consumers, followed by consumer acceptance testing of commercial better-for-you frozen dairy desserts. Consumers of better-for-you frozen desserts (n=578) completed various exercises to identify the attributes that drive purchase of better-for-you frozen desserts. This helped determine the attributes all frozen dessert consumers (n=1,051) perceived to make a frozen dessert better-for-you and which stabilizers or emulsifiers were most attractive on an ice cream or frozen dessert label. 

A consumer acceptance test (n=186) was also conducted using four commercial vanilla-flavored frozen dairy desserts made with different sweetening systems (sugar, sucralose and acesulfame K, monk fruit and allulose, and stevia and erythritol). Half of consumers were primed or informed with the sweeteners and basic nutritional information for the frozen desserts before tasting, and the other half of consumers evaluated samples blinded, where they were only informed that they were tasting a vanilla-flavored frozen dessert. 

Findings indicate that sweetener type and base (dairy vs. plant) were the most important attributes to better-for-you consumers when selecting a better-for-you frozen dessert (n=578). For all ice cream and better-for-you dessert consumers (n=1,051), sweetener-related claims (naturally sweetened, reduced sugar, no added sugar), along with “all natural” and a short ingredient list, were the top attributes that contributed to perception of a “healthier” frozen dessert. 

When better-for-you frozen desserts were tasted by consumers, purchase intent decreased after tasting, suggesting that frozen desserts made with natural non-nutritive sweeteners did not meet consumer expectations. Flavor of better-for-you frozen desserts remains more important than perceived healthiness. 

“Consumers perceive frozen desserts, even those in the better-for-you category, as an indulgence,” says Sipple. “Frozen dessert manufacturers should focus on naturally sweetened, dairy-based desserts with minimal sweetener-related flavor defects when designing products for the better-for-you category.”

You can access the entire paper HERE.

Source: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams 

And don’t forget, February 5, 2022, is Ice Cream for Breakfast Day. Nothing like a scoop or two with the morning cup of java. 

When it comes to vanilla, location matters. According to custom research conducted by Synergy Flavors in March 2021, 68% of consumers said vanilla from Madagascar--the top vanilla-producing country--was the most appealing when used in foods and beverages. It is described as sweet, creamy, rich, tobacco-like, balsamic and with a spicy back note. 

Other leading vanilla-producing countries include Indonesia, Mexico, Tahiti and Uganda. Indonesia is the second-largest producer of vanilla and 51% of consumers said the flavor is appealing when used in foods and beverages, according to Synergy’s research. The flavor is described as less sweet and creamy than Madagascar vanilla, with woody and slight smoky notes.  

Mexico is the third-largest producer of vanilla. Its flavor was preferred by 47% of consumers. The aroma and flavor of Mexican vanilla is described as sharp, sweet and spicy, but lacking the body that comes from Madagascar vanilla. In fourth place is Tahiti, which produces a distinct perfumed floral and anisic, less intense vanilla character. And in fifth place, Uganda produces a milk chocolate, early and bold-sweet vanilla. 

Choose your vanilla wisely!

Ten Take-Aways from Dairy Forum 2022…for personal, professional and industry growth.

 It was wonderful to see so many of you at Dairy Forum 2022 to learn what is NEW, NOW and NEXT for dairy. This year’s program was all about reconnecting, inspiring and sharing knowledge and insights to push our industry forward toward bigger and better things. 

I attended many sessions and am sharing 10 messages I collected that resonated with me. I hope they positively impact you personally and professionally. 

1. The United States is poised to become the world’s dominant supplier of dairy products. This is possible because of all of us, according to Michael Dykes, president and CEO, International Dairy Foods Association.

“We are leading on sustainability, health and wellness, technology and innovation, attracting and retaining the best workforce, and growing our markets in the United States and abroad,” said Michael Dykes, president and CEO, International Dairy Foods Association. “While serious headwinds continue, the outlook for our industry is bright, thanks to your ability to embrace innovation, invest in growth and remain unified.” 

Hear Dykes’ big take-aways on the U.S. dairy industry in a 7-minute video HERE.

2. Our industry’s products are as varied as the consumer’s tastes and those tastes are changing rapidly, according to Christina Adams, partner, McKinsey & Company. It is a good time to take items out of your portfolio. Simplify it, then focus on innovation and put in new products. 

3. Trends are stupid and too late, according to Keith Schroeder, CEO, High Road Craft Ice Cream Inc. Most dairy industry business models are broken, as they focus on the commodity side of things and this fails to attract disruptive top talent to innovate. 

4. Millennials don’t want to be a head count. They want their head to count, according to Jim Donald, chairman of Albertson’s and former CEO of Starbucks, Pathmark Supermarkets and Extended Stay Hotels. Make them feel valued and provide them a sense of belonging. 

5. About 75% of millennials use social and environmental commitments to decide where they want to work, according to Ludovic Meilhac, partner, McKinsey & Company. 

6. Diversity is when you have more than one person in the room. Inclusion is the condition where “insider-ness” is maximized and “outsider-ness” is minimized. Inclusion is not the absence of exclusion; it is the intentional and deliberate acts undertaken to ensure others have a sense of belonging, according to Steve Robbins, diversity, inclusion and cultural competency expert. 

7. To be a modern food brand, you have to meet consumers where they are. You want to show up every day, according to Tressie Lieberman, vice president of digital and off-premise at Chipotle. Make the consumer feel known and valued. “Win today (the sale) and create the future.”

8. It’s time to focus on the future of food, not the past, according to Yin Woon Rani, CEO, Milk Processor Education Program.

9. If consumers are willing to change, they expect you (the industry) to change, according to Ludovic Meilhac, partner, McKinsey & Company.

10. Anything is possible, just count 5-4-3-2-1, according to Mel Robbins, expert on leadership and defeating doubt, award-winning CNN commentator and best-selling author. Her “5 Second Rule” helps to get you out of the place between knowledge and action, which she calls the “knowledge-action” gap. It’s the place where you know what to do but can’t seem to make yourself do it.

You can learn more by watching her 45-minute Ted Talks. Here’s the LINK.

Together we can discover what is NEW, highlight what is NOW and co-create what is NEXT for dairy!

 

Growing interest in immune health is forecast to continue to grow, according to the International Food Information Council’s online surveys completed November 4 to 9 (n=1000) and December 2 to 6, 2021 (n=1000). More than half (57%) of respondents expressed interest in foods or beverages that support immune health. 

Dairy foods have long been a player in this space with probiotics in cultured dairy foods, with or without vitamin D fortification. It’s time to make sure you are adding these beneficial bacteria to everything from yogurt to kefir to cottage cheese. This includes frozen variations, as well plant-based alternatives.  

Probiotics has become a familiar term to many since the pandemic. Awareness of their immune benefits is rising and companies are exploring ways to differentiate in the competitive market. This might be through the inclusion of other recognized immunity-boosting ingredients or prebiotic fiber. Maybe it’s the inclusion of botanicals or nootropics. 

The global probiotics market size was estimated at $54.8 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.2% from 2021 to 2028, to a valuation of $95.3 billion, according to Grandview Research. It is driven by the growing consumer inclination towards preventive healthcare in conjunction with the development of efficient probiotic strains. 

Probiotics, when consumed in adequate amounts, have desirable effects on the body, such as improved gut health and reduced intestinal inflammation. Probiotics play a great role in preventive healthcare as they prevent the occurrence of diseases by strengthening the immune system. Thus, rising awareness regarding preventive healthcare is expected to boost the market growth over the forecast period, reports Grandview Research in “Probiotics Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product (Food & Beverages, Dietary Supplements), By Ingredient (Bacteria, Yeast), By End Use (Human, Animal), By Distribution Channel, And Segment Forecasts, 2021 – 2028,” which was published in August 2021. 

“The market in the U.S. is characterized by the presence of demographic-specific probiotics, such as for geriatrics and genders. These niche markets have offered regional players the chance to adopt different strategies to enhance their product portfolio and maximize their resources. Excessive demand for probiotic-based food and beverage products as well as dietary supplements is expected to drive the U.S. market over the next few years,” according to the report. 

The human probiotics segment led the global market in 2020 with a revenue share of more than 91%, according to Grandview Research. On the basis of end use, the market has been broadly classified into human and animal probiotics. Technological advancements with respect to human-grade probiotics have broadened the scope of the products fit for human consumption. This is in reaction to the integration of novel food-grade ingredients in juices and other non-milk-based applications by prominent market players. 

Probiotics are a great way to keep consumers focused on dairy, where, despite all the marketplace challenges since the onset of the pandemic, demand has only kept growing. Per-capita dairy consumption in the U.S. is at the highest levels since 1960. Exports in 2021 are on pace for a record, too, reports the National Milk Producers Federation. 

Retail sales figures from 2020 are now available from IRI. The data show that 2020’s gains in grocery-store purchases weren’t just a rechanneling of lost school and restaurant business toward at-home consumption. By comparing 2021 with 2019, we can see that dairy’s gains are built to last.

Retail fluid milk may have declined when compared to 2019, but this is attributed to consumers shifting toward dairy in other forms. Plus, don’t forget, kids are back in school and getting their daily dose of milk in the classroom. And, fast-food kids’ meals are back in style for quick meals between activities. Milk makes them better.

Did you know that my wonderful state of Illinois is helping kids get the nutrient-dense milk they need when they are eating out? Governor J.B. Pritzker signed House Bill 3490 into law on Dec. 10, 2021. It states that if a restaurant includes milk as a beverage in a kids’ meal, the drink must be dairy milk and contain no more than 130 calories per container or serving. 

The National Milk Producers Federation said that even though retail fluid milk sales are down compared to the 2019, there still are some bright spots. Because grocery-store milk prices have increased, actual fluid-milk revenues rose nearly $900 million over the past two years. That’s actually a bigger gain than plant-based beverages, which saw sales of their more-expensive products rise only $513 million.

Further, fluid’s decline wasn’t uniform across all categories. Whole milk consumption increased 0.5% over the past two years and is now well-established as the most popular variety of conventional milk, showing that fluid milk is more popular when it tastes more like milk. Just think of the potential if probiotics were included!

Hope to see many of you at Dairy Forum 2022 this week. 

The Year of Keto Claims

 

The Fresh Thyme Market near my gym recently placed “keto friendly” shelf tags throughout the store to help consumers identify foods compliant with the keto dietary lifestyle. They can be found by creamers, cheese and eggs, among other products. 

While keto is not legally defined, most keto dietary plans suggest consuming less than 30 grams of net carbohydrates per day. To put that in perspective, a two-thirds cup serving of traditional vanilla ice cream contains about 25 grams of net carbs.  

So what are net carbohydrates and why keep them low? Like keto, the measurement of net carbs is also not legally defined. The industry-accepted definition is a measure of the carbohydrates that the body digests, in other words, caloric carbohydrates. This is everything from wheat flour to honey, as well as the sugars naturally found in milk, fruits and vegetables. Grams of net carbs are calculated by subtracting grams of fibers and sugar alcohols from total grams of carbohydrates.

With sugar reduction fueling the health and wellness trend, along with fats no longer the enemy and protein the shining star, a keto-friendly label helps consumers choose foods that they believe are heathier for them. 

“During the pandemic, many consumers changed their diet to keto for better health or shedding excess pounds,” according to the “Keto and Paleo Consumers: High Protein/Low Carb Diet Trends and Opportunities” report from Packaged Facts. The November 2021 report states that 5% of consumers follow the keto diet always or almost always and that there is broad consumer interest for occasional usage of keto-friendly foods. 

Based on the number of new keto-friendly product announcements I’ve received in the past month, marketers have taken note about the opportunities to better target those with occasional interest. Retailers such as Fresh Thyme Market are embracing this opportunity, too.  

The keto diet mandates very-low carbohydrate intake, high fat and adequate protein content. It forces the body to burn fat by making carbohydrates scarce. It’s about 70% fat, 20% protein, and 5% each simple carbohydrates and non-starchy vegetables. 

Medical doctors started using a high-fat, moderate-protein and very-low-carbohydrate diet to control seizures in patients with epilepsy in the 1920s. It’s only been in the past decade or so that this eating pattern became associated with weight loss. While many food marketers were skeptical on the longevity of its popularity, it’s safe to say that it is definitely the four-letter word of the year. 

General Mills has been playing in the keto space for some time. During the summer of 2020, the company introduced the :ratio line of snacks, which included yogurt-type cultured dairy cups and crunchy bars. The primary components of the dairy snacks are ultra-filtered nonfat milk, milk, milk fat and avocado oil. The addition of non-dairy fat prevents the product from being called yogurt, per the U.S. standard of identify for yogurt. The product, however, is cultured with yogurt cultures (Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus). Thus, the product is described as “flavored yogurt cultured dairy snack.” 

Less than a year later, :ratio protein joined the lineup. The primary components of these dairy snacks are ultra-filtered nonfat milk and whey protein concentrate.

For the New Year, the :ratio brand introduced a range of new products that span across categories aimed at providing consumers with variety. All of the products have 1 gram of sugar per serving and provide a convenient option for consumers tracking macronutrients.

There are new flavors of :ratio Keto Dairy Snacks. Blueberry, Mixed Berry and Peach are joining the original five: Black Cherry, Coconut, Mango, Strawberry and Vanilla. One serving provides 15 grams of protein. There’s also new :ratio Keto Granola, :ratio Keto Soft Baked Bars and new keto-friendly Wonderworks Frosted cereal.

In August 2021, Trimona Foods, the maker of Trimona Bulgarian Yogurt, had its entire product line Keto Verified. With zero added sugars and A2/A2 tested organic milk, Trimona meets the needs of keto diet followers and the “keto-curious” by offering an easy way to add fermented dairy to the daily diet. 

It’s possible for dairy processors to take keto friendly to the next level by touting the presence of better-for-you practices, such as grass fed and regenerative agriculture. Such specialty items are being sought out by health-conscious consumers who want to make a difference, for themselves and the planet. They also command a premium, which makes them attractive to retailers. 

Condolences for Dr. John Bruhn

It is with a heavy heart that I share the loss of a dear friend to many of us in the dairy industry. Dr. John Bruhn of Davis, California, passed on Dec. 18, 2021. 

You can read about his amazing life and accomplishments HERE.