Yogurt Feature:Market Trends
Worth £36million and growing at a rate of 12% per year, the yogurt market in Northern Ireland is highly dynamic, which, according to Joyce Patterson, Spelga Marketing Manager, offers great scope for a brand such as Spelga:
“While the sector is still dominated by single fruited yogurts (33) and twin pots (25), the greatest growth has been in the functional sector which now holds 12% of the market. Some of this movement has come from basic diet yogurts as consumers have become more aware of the additional health benefits of functional foods, making them an everyday shopping list item, rather than a speciality food. Many brands are now referencing fat free and probiotic claims and functional ranges have now become more normalised. Category growth is set to continue due to NPD being at the forefront but also because yogurt consumers are very quick to adopt new products as a result of their brand trust in the leading players. Yogurt was the first to introduce many of the functional claims that are now spilling over into other categories. Another factor is the sheer diversity of yogurt with Dale Farm”s own commissioned focus group research revealing that yogurt is part and parcel of the grocery trip, consumed at every mealtime, both formally and informally, and from breakfast through to bedtime snacks.
"Added to that, nutritional individualisation is also impacting on shopping trends, with yogurt selection increasingly based on the health needs of each family member. For example, calcium content is viewed as important for the health of children while ‘low fat’ tends to have greater significance for those reaching middle age. Likewise, the older generations are now more compelled by the ‘low cholesterol’ factor. The future will be about successful market segmentation, offering solutions for these identified groups and undertstanding the motivations behind the next big ‘functional’ trend.For Spelga, the healthy image of yogurt is also supported by our 3-a-day message (all your essential daily nutrients supplied by a yogurt, glass of milk and portion of cheese) with the important logo and our 3-a-day website details continuing to be promoted on the Spelga range. The clear linkage between dairy and health gives yogurt a great platform for future development and it is one which we at Dale Farm have positively responded to."
Spelga
Following last year’s make-over and redesign, Spelga has gone from strength to strength, cementing its position as NI’s trusted, dynamic and versatile yogurt brand. Part of the brand’s distinctiveness is it’s mild and creamy taste and this has been the main focus on marketing communications, including The Big Taste TV campaign which is scheduled to continue throughout 2007.
Thanks to its variety, Spelga continues to satisfy the needs of an entire consumer spectrum. Spelga Fat Free Probiotic yogurt is available in four flavours and recently launched a price flashed 3-pack which has proven popular with consumers keen to benefit from the multibuy offering. This range continues to complement the core Low Fat Bio range which is available in a massive 11 flavours, single pots, multipacks and larger 500g pots making it the most comprehensive of ranges for consumers and retailers alike.
Added to this are the hugely successful Spelga Crumble Twinpots and the latest addition to the Spelga family, Bio Greek Style yoghurts. Presented with the Silver ‘Great Taste’ Award last year, Joyce Patterson, Marketing Manager, explains,
“Greek style was essentially about natural yogurt and we recognised a gap in the market for a layered probiotic Spelga Greek yogurt that could deliver a creamy taste and added nutritional value, directly meeting consumer’s needs for the best of both worlds. Getting the official ‘Great Taste’ seal of approval really affirms what consumers have said bout our Greek Style and the full Spelga range so far!”
With further new product development planned for later in the year, and continued marketing support underway, the Spelga range will continue to live up to its ‘Big Taste’ reputation which consumers have grown to love!
