Yogurt innovation 2013: Bites, Flips and Tubes on tap

 

KANSAS CITY — As the yogurt category enters 2013, three of the industry’s leading manufacturers, Chobani, General Mills and the Dannon Co., have the spigot on their new product pipelines wide open.

Chobani, New Berlin, N.Y., plans to introduce a spate of products this year.

“Our goal at Chobani is to continue building upon the limitless possibilities of Greek yogurt, and create innovative products specifically designed for usage occasions,” said John Heath, vice-president of new ventures and innovation. “Using consumer insights, we look across the pleasure spectrum — flavors, textures, taste combinations and packaging formats — to bring new excitement and enjoyment to our deliciously simple, authentic yogurt.”

Leading the Chobani lineup will be Bites, 3.5-oz cups of blended Greek non-fat and low-fat yogurt. Each product will feature 8 grams of protein and will target the afternoon snacking day-part. Chobani Bites will be available in four flavors, including orange, caramel and pineapple, coffee and dark chocolate chips, and raspberry and dark chocolate chips. Bites will have a suggested retail price of $2.99 for a package of four.

Children will be the target audience for Chobani’s Champions Tubes. The new packaging format will be marketed as an on-the-go snack option for children. Tubes will feature four flavors, strawberry, cherry, blueberry and strawberry banana, and have a suggested retail price of $2.79 for a package of eight.

Consumers in the Northeast will be the first to try Chobani Flip, a Greek yogurt product that features inclusions in the lid. By flipping the new product consumers will be able to create six flavor pairings. The flavors will include vanilla with corn flakes, honey oats and pecans, key lime with graham crumbles and white chocolate, strawberry with honey oats, honey with banana, coconut with dark chocolate and almonds, and vanilla chocolate chip with raspberries.

Yoplait adds innovation

General Mills, Minneapolis, will not be sitting idly by in 2013. The company plans several new product introductions that will be featured in dairy aisles nationwide.

In 2012, General Mills’ Yoplait USA business unit introduced several new products, including Yoplait Greek 100, Yoplait Simplait and Yoplait Fruplait. In 2013 the company plans to extend the flavor range of Greek 100 and innovation with the debuts of Yoplait GoGurt Twisted and Yoplait Pro-Force.

GoGurt Twisted is an extension within the GoGurt brand of tube yogurt and will feature flavor pairings such as strawberry mango. The Pro-Force product line is targeted toward children and contains two times the protein of other yogurts targeting the youth demographic. The company said the product is intended for “tweens with active” lifestyles and will be available in strawberry and mixed berry flavors.

General Mills isn’t strictly focusing its new product efforts on supermarkets. The company is also in the process of introducing Greek 100 in food service outlets and is rolling out Yoplait ParfaitPro. The ParfaitPro product gives food service operators an easy way to prepare layered yogurt parfaits, according to the company.

Dannon keeping pace

The Dannon Co., White Plains, N.Y., will be extending its Danimals portfolio of products into the refrigerated desserts category with the introduction of Squeezables. The line extension will be available in three varieties: strawberry, cherry and orange, and be available in an 8-pack packaging format. The product will begin shipping on Jan. 14.

Dannon has also added Greek yogurt to its Light & Fit line with the introduction of three varieties of Light & Fit Greek in a four-pack. The product began shipping on Dec. 17 and is available in three flavors: pineapple, peach and raspberry.

Light & Fit Greek offers Dannon consumers two times the protein of regular low-fat yogurt, 80 calories per 5.3 oz, and the texture of a Greek product, according to the company. In addition to the new Light & Fit four-pack varieties, Dannon will begin shipping a 32-oz Light & Fit Greek product. The product will be available in vanilla and have a suggested retail price of $5.59.

Kashi introduces two organic cereals

LA JOLLA, CALIF. — Kashi, a Kellogg Co. brand, is introducing two organic cereals: Kashi Berry Fruitful and Kashi Blackberry Hills.

The Berry Fruitful variety consists of shredded wheat biscuits with berry-flavored fillings. It has 6 grams of fiber and 46 grams of whole grains per serving. The Blackberry Hills cereal has whole grain rice and wheat flakes with blackberries and contains 3 grams of fiber and 16 grams of whole grains per serving.

The products have a suggested retail price of $3.99 per box.

Dr Pepper Snapple expands 10-calorie lineup

 

PLANO, TEXAS — Dr Pepper Snapple Group in January will introduce 10-calorie versions of five of its soft drink brands. 7UP Ten, A&W Ten root beer, Sunkist Ten orange soda, Canada Dry Ten ginger ale and RC Ten cola will be available at retailers across the country. National distribution should follow, and an advertising campaign is scheduled to begin in March.

Dr Pepper Snapple introduced Dr Pepper Ten in October 2011. While it was aimed at male consumers, the five new soft drinks are targeted for consumers aged 25 to 39.

Dr Pepper Snapple tested the five new soft drinks in several markets in 2012. They have a blend of caloric and non-caloric sweeteners and have 10 calories per 12-oz serving. Dr Pepper Ten’s ingredient list includes the sweeteners high-fructose corn syrup, aspartame and acesulfame potassium (Ace-K). Dr Pepper Snapple categorizes the 10-calorie beverages as low-calorie soft drinks that are neither traditional diet soft drinks nor mid-calorie soft drinks.