Yoghurt growth opportunities fuelled by global lifestyle differences, market research
More than half (53 percent) of consumers globally are eating more yoghurt than they used to, according to findings from a study commissioned by global health and nutrition ingredients company Royal DSM.
According to DSM, yogurt preferences and eating occasions differed between countries and cultures. DSM said the findings indicated there were new and interesting opportunities for dairy companies to bring more yogurt varieties to a growing global market.
Based on a survey carried out in countries as varied as China, US, Brazil, Poland, France and Turkey, DSM said the results demonstrated different yogurt consumption trends between countries, gender and age groups. Finding ways to leverage these differences and integrate yogurt into consumers' lives is key to further growing this vibrant market, according to DSM.
Consumption patterns
Part of the DSM Global Insight Series, the DSM report focuses on the consumption patterns of yogurt. It revealed that the number of consumers who said they were eating more yogurt than before was higher in emerging dairy markets like Brazil and China. However, the absolute amount and frequency of yogurt consumed lagged behind, compared to more mature markets like France and Turkey.
The occasions consumers eat yogurt varied across different countries, from a dessert in France (87 per cent), to a snack on the go in Poland (73 per cent) to a beverage in China (47 per cent). In fact, drinking yogurt dominates the Chinese yogurt market, as 49 per cent of people mainly prefer drinking yogurt, whereas just 11 per cent mostly eat spoonable yogurt.
"We see a very dynamic yogurt market all over the world," said Dominik Grabinski, Global Marketing Manager at DSM Food Specialties. "Yogurt is not limited to one occasion anymore; people eat it for breakfast, as a dessert, snack or a beverage and we see new products introduced on a daily basis," he said.
Consumers' favourite type of yoghurt
The favorite type of yogurt also differed per country. Greek yogurt was increasingly popular in the US (36 per cent), however, in China consumers had been eating more probiotic yogurt over the last 3 years (54 percent).
Opportunities for yoghurt desserts
DSM said that as emerging yogurt markets embraced dairy desserts in different ways, this may open innovation and consumption opportunities that are not available in mature yogurt markets.
