04 Jun 2015 Fat is back…the rise of creamy yogurt

America’s yogurt aisle is getting fat. Leading brands and fast-growing niche players are coming out with new varieties of yogurt made with whole milk. 

The unabashedly full-fat yogurts are thicker, creamier and, executives say, more satisfying than the long-popular low-fat versions. And to many people, full-fat also tastes better, reports the Wall Street Journal.

“It could easily be a substitute for ice cream,” says Lisa Kinzel,a brand manager for Oh My Yog! whole-milk yogurts, made by Stonyfield, a unit of Groupe Danone. “It’s just getting back to what yogurt truly is.”

More consumers want food that is less processed, yogurt makers say, and that includes letting the fat stay put. The preference is reverberating across the dairy aisle, according to market research firm IRI:

• Sales of whole milk, though still about half the size of skim milk, are growing much faster, rising 5% in the 52 weeks ended May 17.
• Sales of skim milk fell 3% in the same period.
• Butter sales are up 18%.
• Margarine is down 4%.

Long-standing full-fat yogurts are picking up sales, too. US sales of Fage Total, Fage International SA’s whole-milk yogurt, are up by a double-digit percentage so far this year compared with the year before, the company says.

“There’s a shift from people feeling that they couldn’t have any fat in their diet to an understanding that it’s OK to have some fat in moderation,” says Russell Evans, director of marketing for Fage USA. “And when they discover it, there’s such a taste difference.”

For many years, yogurt makers emphasised low-fat varieties with artificial sweeteners that offered a hint of indulgence to calorie-counting Americans. Then about seven years ago droves of Americans started eating low-fat Greek yogurt, drawn by its higher protein content and richer texture.

That in turn tempted Americans to try creamy, full-fat yogurts, companies say. “Greek yogurt redefined the American consumer’s palate, and now they’re more adventuresome and really enjoying thicker yogurts,” says Koel Thomae, co-founder of Noosa Yoghurt, a line of full-fat yogurts. “Fat certainly delivers flavor, and it’s a travesty not to have any in your diet.”…..

Wall Street Journal: Read the full article

(Access via Google News)

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