Events
Insights from IDFA's Cultured Conference 2024
NZMP™ attended the 2024 IDFA Conference. Read this article to explore insights from the event
22 Apr 2024
2 min
In April our team came together at the Yogurt & Cultured Innovation Conference to speak about Innovative Trends in the Cultured Dairy Market.
The Yogurt & Cultured Innovation Conference is a 2-day meeting hosted by IDFA and focused exclusively on everything yogurt and cultured dairy products. The event is attended by all professionals in the yoghurt and cultured dairy products field – including executives, marketers, plant operations, research and development and quality assurance staff.
In case you missed us at the event, here are some key take-aways:
Health-Conscious Consumerism
Consumers are on a quest for healthier diets with lower sugar. 1
A Shift Toward Clean Label
Consumers are on a quest for yoghurts with short, recognisable ingredient lists. 3
The Protein Power Play
High protein is the 2nd most featured health/nutrition claim on new yoghurt packaging. 1
Nutrition, convenience, and clean label are driving forces in the evolving landscape of consumer preferences for yogurt. Consumers prioritise nutritional value and convenience when selecting yoghurt, making these two factors essential for brands to keep in mind. The most significant opportunities in this category lie in emphasising health attributes like protein and probiotics, and promoting convenient, on-the-go formats like drinks. 1
Simultaneously, clean label is becoming more than just a trend - it's becoming a consumer mandate. Consumers are increasingly seeking products with fewer, more familiar ingredients, and they expect yoghurt companies to prioritise clean labels. This is particularly true for older consumers, with 22% of US category buyers aged 55+ citing 'no artificial ingredients' as the most important attribute when choosing yoghurt products. 1
At the same time, nearly a third of US consumers consider high protein as a key attribute in yoghurt products. However, in this competitive yoghurt landscape, being 'high protein' might not be enough. Brands need to find additional points of differentiation such as clean label, convenience, or other health benefits. Consumers are increasingly accepting the idea that indulgent products like yoghurt can also accommodate positive nutrition attributes, such as protein. 1
In a world where the pandemic-induced yoghurt consumption boom is fading, brands must become allies in health, partners in nutrition and help their consumers navigate the complex landscape of wellness. The future of yoghurt is not just about taste – it's about health, nutrition and value. 2
Browse NZMP's Dairy Ingredients Range
To find out more about our North American range of NZMP™ dairy ingredients click here.
References
- 1. Mintel – A year of innovation in yogurt 2023
- 2. Mintel – The future of yogurt and desserts
- 3. Mintel - Elevating clean label to meet the needs of gen z
