Dairy top trends: Innova Market Insights spotlights health, pleasure and plant-based alternatives

24 Feb 2020 --- The influence of Innova Market Insights Top Ten Trends for 2020 is clearly apparent in the dairy category, which is facing key challenges amid changing consumer tastes. Among the notable shifts in purchasing behavior is the increasing demand for plant-based dairy alternatives. Meanwhile, the formulators in this sector are setting their sights on other opportunities for category expansion with novel texture-enhanced offerings and hybrid varieties.

The rise of the “The Plant Based Revolution” trend is motivating traditional dairy producers to branch out. While the challenges presented by the trend are clear, the dairy industry is responding with innovations focusing on other 2020 top trends, including “The Right Bite,” “Macronutrient Makeover,” “Tapping into Texture” and “Hello Hybrids,” further developing its emphasis on health and pleasure.

Sugar reduction is big in dairy, inspiring new solutions involving the use of functional cultures and enzymes.“The Right Bite” trend describes the quest of busy consumers to maintain healthy lifestyles, both physically and mentally, raising the demand for nutritious foods that are easy to prepare, convenient and portable. As an example of cross-category expansion, FrieslandCampina has innovated the dairy-based Nutri Whey Isolate Clear, which offers a high (90 percent) protein content and a clean, neutral taste and aroma, making it ideal for ready-to-drink (RTD) clear water drinks or other clear functional beverages.

Meanwhile, the “Macronutrient Makeover” trend highlights attention being paid to changing perceptions of macronutrient content and balance, not only in dairy, but in food and drinks as a whole. Typically, “one macronutrient at a time” is in consumer focus, with low-/no-sugar currently leading as the claim with the strongest influence on purchasing decisions in a 2019 Innova Consumer Survey (UK, the US, Spain, France, Brazil, Germany, Mexico and China). 

According to this report, consumers prioritize sugar reduction above low fat and low calorie claims. As a result, natural sugar-reducing solutions are in high demand in dairy, with the use of cultures and enzymes, that also have clean label benefits, being an area of particular interest.

Tapping into this demand, Danish supplier Chr. Hansen has commercially launched Sweety Y-1, a novel culture solution allowing the natural creation of sweetness by unlocking milk’s own resource – lactose. As an example of the heightened focus on innovative bacterial cultures in dairy, the culture solution uses Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus cultures, simply appearing on the label as a culture.

Last December, FoodIngredientsFirst sat down with DuPont and Chr. Hansen to discuss their solutions to tackle sugar reduction at Fi Europe 2019, held in Paris, France.

Crunchy milk protein crips by Glanbia.Texture amplifies indulgence
The “Tapping into Texture’ trend focuses on consumers’ increasing recognition of the influence of texture on dairy, allowing a heightened sensory experience and often a greater feeling of indulgence. According to Innova Market Insights research, an average 45 percent of US and UK consumers are influenced by texture when buying food and drinks, while 68 percent share the opinion that textures contribute to a more interesting food and beverage experience. 

Terms such as “thick & creamy,” “smooth,” “crispy” and “crunchy” are increasingly in evidence in products as varied as milk drinks, yogurt and cheese. Products such as milk and milk drinks, for example, are being given added indulgence through texture and mouthfeel claims, which were previously not in widespread use in the subcategory.

This trend is particularly apparent across the performance dairy market. Glanbia Nutritionals specializes in dairy protein solutions that reduce hardening while also improving product mouthfeel with new layers of flavor and texture. Its unique protein range of ingredients comprises BarFlex (minimizing bar hardening for a long-lasting chewy texture) and Crunchie Milk Protein Crisps (delivering texture with protein fortification).

Dairy and non-dairy milk combinations are growing in popularity.Hype around hybrids
The “Hello Hybrids” trend recognizes the growing interest in products that combine two different features. Increasingly adventurous consumers tend to be highly receptive to hybrid concepts, with interest in blending ingredients, combining food types and mixing flavor profiles. According to Innova Market Insights research, seven in ten US and one in two UK consumers like products that mix flavors, such as sweet and salty.

Hybrid concepts in dairy are taking a variety of formats, including category fusion, such as ice cream flavored yogurts; mixed taste profiles, such as drinks with sweet and savory flavor blends; and blended ingredients, such as dairy and non-dairy milk combinations, featuring options such as oat and almond.

These and Innova Market Insights’ other Top Ten Trends in Dairy for 2020 will be highlighted and discussed by Lu Ann Williams, Director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights, in a live webinar to be held on March 11.

By Benjamin Ferrer