Identifying consumer trends and generating new, innovative dairy products to meet these demands provides opportunities for increased dairy consumption. Read all about these three new dairy products and how the ideas for them came about.
A delectable drinkable yogurt called lassi
Inspired as a young woman in her 20s traveling in India, Emily Gilels became fascinated with lassi and got excited about introducing it in the U.S.; dosa by Dosa was founded to share this homestyle lassi recipe with the world. Lassi is one of the oldest and most celebrated yogurt drinks in the world at 3,000 years old. It is made with a cultured probiotic dense yogurt base, real fruit puree and freshly roasted spices.
“In homes in India people often make their own yogurt by taking a very bright piece of fruit and grinding some fresh spices into their lassi, and that's how it's drank,” says Emily Gilels, CEO and founder of dosa by Dosa. “We really decided to bring this product to market so that we could be the brand that introduced authentically made lassi to America.”
Gilels has since created a lactose-free lassi formula that has a natural flavor to pair well with the fruits and spices they put into it.
“Over many years, we developed our flavor profiles and continue to refine them and play around with different fruits, different spices, different levels of different strains of probiotics until we landed in what we thought was kind of the most refreshing, most delicious and indulgent-tasting flavors that are good for you,” Gilels says.
The four flavors Gilels has taken to market are cardamom mango, turmeric banana, peppercorn berry and cayenne tamarind.
“What makes it unique is that it's an authentic Indian product and every flavor is spice-forward. It's very high-protein calcium, rich in B12 vitamins and it just has everything going for it. So it really stands out,” Gilels says. “We're really creating a category for it that hasn't existed before. So that's what gets us excited. The yogurt category really hasn't had much happening in terms of drinkable yogurts, and now it's hard to find a category leader such as lassi.”
Lassi by dosa by Dosa was recently named the grand prize winner of the Real California Milk Excelerator. It can be found in natural food stores and world-class retailers like Sprouts and Whole Foods Markets as well as e-commerce partners such as Good Eggs and Imperfect Foods.
“It really is the type of product that attracts children and adults. It's not confined to a specific generation,” Gilels says. “Everybody loves it because it's delicious, healthy and indulgent-tasting but also good for you. So I love it. To me, I think it's a really satisfying snack, and I drink them all day.”
Kraft Singles launches three bold new flavors
For the first time in almost a decade, Kraft Singles recently launched three new so-good taste and perfect melt flavors: jalapeño (spicy), garlic and herb (garlicky), and caramelized onion (savory).
“When thinking through new flavors outside of our original Kraft Singles, we uncovered that 67 percent of U.S. cheese consumers enjoy trying new cheeses, with flavor being one of the lead purchase drivers – but American cheese offerings were not delivering on bold taste or diverse usage occasions,” says Stephanie Vance, brand manager for Kraft Singles.
Vance says they also found that flavored cheese is driving category growth, opening up a ripe opportunity for them to expand their portfolio.
“Building on our legacy as the go-to leader in American cheese, we focused on innovating and meeting the evolving needs of our consumers,” Vance says. “Recognizing a gap in bold taste and diverse usage occasions, we crafted these options in response to the consumer demand for spicy, garlicky and savory flavors.”
Flavored cheese has seen a 20% increase in sales from 2021 to 2022, reflecting a growing desire for unique and delicious options.
“Lastly, our new flavors address the ask from millennials for new flavor experiences that add excitement into their routine, as we uncovered that more than a quarter of millennials seek out food products that are fun,” Vance says.
The new flavor additions address a market gap, transforming ordinary sandwiches essential for home cooks, chefs and anyone who loves cheese. The new flavors can be found at national and regional retailers across the country.
"Our brand is on a mission to reignite America’s love affair with cheese, and these new tantalizing flavors will elevate any ordinary sandwich into irresistible culinary delights,” Vance says. “Picture a mouthwatering ham and cheese panini featuring Caramelized Onion Singles, a bold steak sandwich with the zing of Jalapeño Singles or a savory chicken Parmesan masterpiece enhanced by the aromatic Garlic and Herbs Singles.”
Shaking things up with A2/A2 whole milk shakes
When Once Upon a Farm decided to go into dairy, it was imperative they partnered with organic farms that are making a positive impact on the planet and in the dairy industry specifically. For them, it was a no-brainer to partner with the suppliers they did both for their A2/A2 Whole Milk Shakes and their Grass-fed Whole Milk Smoothies.
“Currently most kids' dairy items on the shelf contain a combination of added sugar, natural or artificial color and flavors, and synthetic additives. We wanted to offer something that not only tasted delicious but didn’t contain any added sugar and had a simple ingredient list that both parents and kids could pronounce,” says Cassandra Curtis, Once Upon a Farm co-founder and chief innovation officer.
Through rigorous consumer testing, lots of tasting panels, multiple iterations of product reformulation and testing on the line to ensure they created the perfect product, they wanted their shakes to meet the standards parents expect.
"These are no-added-sugar shakes that actually taste good and have benefits from real fruit and veggies that you can’t find with most dairy products on the market that are targeted for kids,” Curtis says. “And they’re our first product to contain organic dairy as an ingredient, which makes for a creamy, dreamy and delicious taste and texture.”
When asked how it made her feel to see and taste the shake for the first time, Curtis says, “So excited! I was most excited because my kids couldn’t stop eating them, and I felt good knowing they were getting the added benefit of the B12 from dairy along with the added nutrition of fruits and veggies.”
The A2/A2 whole milk shakes come in three flavors that include triple berry, banana crème and strawberry crème. The shakes can be found at most major retailers nationwide, in particular at Whole Foods Market, or can be shopped online at onceuponafarmorganics.com.
“We are always looking to add more into our product pipeline, and we will continue to bring many more exciting things to families in the future,” Curtis says. “We love all of our consumers and are here to support those that love high-quality, nutrient-rich and tasty snacks for themselves and their families.”
