Drinking yoghurts and fermented beverages have been flagged for a global resurgence in a new report released last Friday 22 January by Innova Market Insights.
With the drinks accounting for 8.5 per cent of all dairy launches in the 12 months to the end of October 2015, Innova listed a couple of reasons for the possible growth after years of industry decline.
“There are now indications that the market is moving forward, with a particular focus on yoghurt and fruit blends in a smoothie format, while there has also been the rising interest in yoghurt-style fermented drinks that has brought products such as kefir, lassi and ayran into mainstream markets in non-traditional regions,” the report stated.
Lu Ann Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights, said the change in direction comes after some turbulent years for drinking yoghurt and fermented beverage producers.
“The drinking yoghurt market has enjoyed mixed fortunes in recent years,” reports,” Lu Ann Williams said.
“A positioning that falls between traditional spoonable yoghurts, milk drinks and other soft drinks has proven to be a mixed blessing, with high levels of competition in all these areas,” she stated.
Drinking yoghurts and fermented beverages experienced strong growth in the first half of the 2000s with consumers growing interest in healthy but convenient options.
The wide range of traditional yoghurt-based and fermented beverages are however now spreading across the globe.
Popular international yoghurt drinks and fermented beverages
Skyr: An Icelandic cultured dairy product. It is becoming increasingly popular in the US. Popular international brands include Siggi’s and Arla.
Lassi: A yoghurt-based drink from the Punjab region of India
Kefir: A fermented milk drink made with kefir “grains” (a yeast/bacterial fermentation starter). It originates from the Caucasus Mountains region which is on the boarder of Russia and Georgia.
Ayran: A cold yoghurt beverage mixed with salt. It is traditionally popular in Turkey, Iran and other Arab countries.
Calpis: An uncarbonated soft drink consumed in Japan. It consists of water, zero-fat dry milk, lactic acid and is produced by lactic acid fermentation.
Yakult: Another Japanese drink, it is a fermented mixture of skim milk and a special strain of the bacterium Lactobacillus casei. The product has been sold internationally since 1966 using “Yakult” as the brand name.
Buttermilk: Includes a range of fermented milk drinks common in warm climates, for example the Middle East, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan and colder climates such as Scandinavia, Poland and the Czech Republic. Major Australian dairy brands such as Pauls and Dairy Farmers sell Buttermilk in Australia.
