New opportunities to bring more yogurt varieties to a growing market

An international survey reveals how yogurt preferences differ between countries and cultures and sheds light on the new opportunities for yogurt manufacturers being created by consumer demand for foods that fit lifestyles and health preferences.

When it comes to understanding the yogurt market one thing is very clear – it is the food’s amazing versatility that is allowing it to deliver great results millennia after it was first eaten. 

Based on a consumer perception survey undertaken in six diverse markets (Brazil, China, France, Poland, Turkey and the USA), this paper is the fourth in a series of reports focusing on yogurt. It forms part of the DSM Global Insight Series — an investigation into consumers’ perceptions and attitudes around food, taste and behaviour — that aims to help the food industry deliver healthy, tasty and attractive products to consumers. 

Emerging markets and family units are driving increased consumption 

Encouragingly for yogurt manufacturers, more than half (53%) of consumers surveyed reported eating more yogurt today than they did three years ago. 

A yogurt a day? 

While most (86%) yogurt eaters tuck into the food at least once a week, some groups of consumers make it part of their daily diet. 

Geographical trends in yogurt choice 

For those eating more yogurt than they were three years ago, there are strong geographical variations in the type of yogurt driving this increase. In China, 54% of people are eating more probiotic yogurt, compared to just 11% in the USA and fewer still in the other markets surveyed. 

Yogurt is already the next big thing 

Based on the consumer survey, yogurt is a diverse and dynamic area with rich potential for growth. Its ability to be healthy or indulgent, flavored or plain, part of a hot meal or a cold snack squeezed in between appointments, gives it widespread appeal and staying power. Furthermore, the strong uptake of yogurt by families with young children may pave the way for a new generation of consumers who see yogurt as a staple part of their diet. 

Creating products that inspire markets currently using yogurt primarily as a snack such as Poland to see it as a dessert, or to challenge more mature markets such as France to accept different types of yogurt, such as drinkable appear to be opportunities for yoghurt makers. 

Download the full report here