“Inspiring anytime indulgence”: General Mills brings luxury to yogurt with Cultured Crème debut

12 Jun 2023 --- Häagen-Dazs, a General Mills brand, is launching Häagen-Dazs Cultured Crème. Inspired by the rich taste and texture of the indulgent ice cream, Cultured Crème offers a new way for tastemakers to experience what they love about yogurt and ice cream in one snack.

The company says the range uses “the finest ingredients, including fresh milk and cream and real fruit.”

According to Innova Market Insights, indulgent dairy launch activity has remained stable over time, with opportunities for new products in ice cream and frozen yogurt. 

In general, the dairy category is ever-evolving, with brands searching to add value to the products with indulgent taste and texture, health benefits, and ethical claims which respond to the core values of the consumers. Plant-based claims are also on the rise, pushing brands to explore innovation in dairy alternatives, says the market researcher. 

Cultured Crème combines Häagen-Dazs’ flavors and premium ingredients with General Mills’ experience in yogurt and dairy snacks.Cultured Crème contains no colors from artificial sources or artificial flavors and is made from a unique blend of dairy cultures, all in under nine ingredients.

The range of Cultured Crème products combines Häagen-Dazs’ flavors and premium ingredients with General Mills’ deep experience in yogurt and dairy snacks to inspire the discovery of a new taste experience, the company asserts. 

“We are thrilled to introduce a new experience to the yogurt aisle this summer through the luxury of Häagen-Dazs,” underscores Benjamin Myers, senior brand manager at General Mills. “From the smooth, creamy texture to the delicious, premium flavors, our new Häagen-Dazs Cultured Crème inspires anytime indulgence.”

Tapping into fermentation science 
The product innovation is slowly crafted, utilizing a fermentation process up to five times longer than traditional yogurt to create a thick, creamy texture reminiscent of ice cream. 

Cultured Crème also uses a unique blend of dairy cultures that offer a smoother taste experience, unlike the slightly sour flavor of traditional yogurt.

Häagen-Dazs Cultured Crème’s decadent line of flavors includes Vanilla Bean, which uses Bourbon vanilla beans sourced from Madagascar, and Strawberry, made with handpicked strawberries grown in only two places globally.

Other flavors include Coffee – made with Colombian cold brew coffee and Lemon, this variety is made with both lemon pulp and zest. Finally, the Blueberry flavor has plump, whole wild blueberries and Black Cherry uses sun-ripened Pacific Northwest cherries. 

This month, Häagen-Dazs Cultured Crème in the yogurt aisles in the US for US$1.99.

General Mills’ portfolio of brands includes household names such as Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo and Old El Paso. 

Edited by Elizabeth Green