IDM ¦ Ingredients
Lockdown priorities
create dairy opportunities
Cleaner labels, healthier choices and comforting indulgence –
the yogurt and dessert categories are primed to satisfy individual
consumer needs through the pandemic and beyond
A number of dairy trends
have spiraled into the foreground
since the COVID-19
pandemic forced the first
lockdowns in the spring
of 2020. Spanning everything from the
healthiest yogurts to the most indulgent
desserts, they reflect the rapid shift in consumer
priorities from the first to the second
wave – and a swell of opportunities
for dairy manufacturers that catch the tide.
One thing remains certain despite the
fluctuation in consumer demands. There
will always be room for dairy products at
each end of the health and indulgence
spectrum, says Michelle Nguyen, regional
dairy marketing manager at IFF.
“With the first wave lockdown, we saw
people spending more time at home, making
homemade yogurts with a focus on
health, less sugar and natural ingredients.
“The second wave brought another reality
as people juggled with the multiple responsibilities
of working from home while
taking care of children and elderly family
members. This renewed the focus on convenient,
on-the-go yogurt snacks and personalized
nutrition. At the same time, the
uncertainty and stress of the pandemic led
to an increased demand for comfort food
in the form of indulgent dairy desserts.”
Although the move towards more
personalized nutrition and natural ingredients
has been underway for some time,
both trends have become increasingly
pronounced over the past year. When it
comes to healthy indulgence, Lightspeed/
Mintel research has found that two out of
five adults struggle to find free-from desserts
that taste good. Euromonitor also
notes that, despite the rising interest in
clean labels, all-natural desserts currently
only account for less than 2% of dessert
launches in Europe, the Middle East and
Africa (EMEA).
So, for manufacturers that can combine
targeted nutrition, a cleaner, more natural
label and uncompromised taste and texture,
the potential for success seems high.
Perceptions of healthy yogurt
As a supplier of ingredient solutions to the
dairy industry, IFF conducted its own survey
A basic yogurt recipe is the most favorable starting point for developing cleanlabel
dairy products (photo: AdobeStock)
22 · March/April 2021 ¦ international-dairy.com
/international-dairy.com
