The International Dairy·Deli·Bakery Association’s What’s In Store 2011
assesses dairy trends.
An expanding array of good-for-you products is pulling health-conscious customers into the dairy department, according to What’s In Store 2011, the new report from the International Dairy·Deli·Bakery Association.
The IDDBA’s 25th anniversary report finds that fortified, fiber-rich, fat-specific, and organic options line dairy coolers as the anti-obesity movement in the U.S. ramps up.
Significant growth for the yogurt category is predicted through 2014 with full-fat yogurt taking a sizeable portion (64.5%) of the business. Dairy is an ideal method to ingest functional ingredients, such as probiotics and prebiotics, that are preserved by the category’s cold chain delivery. Dairy products have long been highly regarded for their nutritive properties, attributes that dairy manufacturers are breaking ground to stack with more good-for-you functions.
With First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! campaign against childhood obesity in full swing, consumers are becoming increasingly aware of their dietary intakes. Sixty-four percent of consumers report someone in their house is overweight, according to the IDDBA’s Consumer in the Deli: Attitudes, Buying Behavior & Purchase Drivers. More than half of respondents have someone in their household with high cholesterol or high blood pressure.
Yogurt
Yogurt innovations are leading the dairy stampede, crowned by the “health halo” that surrounds an ideal nutritional food. Yogurt is portable, compatible with functional ingredients, and available in a full spectrum of flavors. A typically low-calorie/high-protein food, yogurt varieties can be anywhere from plain to fruity, or even sweet treats. Sales of Greek yogurt, with its thick, lavish texture, are strong, as are 100-calorie decadent dessert-inspired yogurts, like strawberry cheesecake and lemon torte. Probiotics are the healthy bacteria that are thought to have beneficial effects in the gastrointestinal tract, such as aiding digestion and building the immune system. Prebiotics are used as an energy source by certain probiotics. Some yogurts are primed with B vitamins, while others are sweetened with stevia, a calorie-free, natural sugar substitute.
Milk
Milk isn’t getting squeezed out of the picture as dairy products hover near the forefront of nutritional innovation: enhanced milks, such as those containing vitamins and minerals spanning from calcium to iron and zinc, and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, are new fixtures in the dairy department. Low-fat and fat-free milks with Vitamin E, and those packed with antioxidants and plant sterols, are ushering functional foods with specific health benefits into the daily lives of dairy consumers. Products that promote better gut health, improved immunity, heart, bone, and nervous system health, and even beauty benefits are now commonplace in daily meals. Hummus is leading growth in the flavored spreads and dips category. Small single-serve packages and exotic flavors like spinach artichoke are making this dip a new mainstay that is only increasing in popularity. With less fat, Greek yogurt is also moving into sour cream’s traditional role as a base for dips for a healthier alternative. Cottage cheese has become a medium for increased fiber consumption, from servings that provide 20% of the recommended RDI to one-hundred calorie packs of fiber-enriched Cottage cheese with fruit on the side.
What’s in Store 2011 is a 206-page trends report, that details consumer and industry trends affecting the dairy case, cheese case, bakery, deli, and foodservice supermarket departments. For more information, or to order, call the IDDBA Education Department at (608) 310-5000 or visit the organization’s Web site, www.iddba.org/.
