Dive Brief:
- Savory yogurt flavors — like sweet potato, olive, thyme and rosemary — have been disappearing from the refrigerated dairy aisle, according to Food Navigator. Blue Hill, Chobani, Fage, Noosa and Kroger all launched savory and spicy yogurt varieties in 2014 and 2015. By October 2017, many of these new flavors were no longer listed on their websites.
- Industry experts’ opinions differ on whether there is a future market for savory yogurt flavors in the U.S. Some point to a recent survey that found two thirds of consumers prefer fruit flavors in their yogurt, so they may be less willing to try vegetable varieties. Others contend that this first wave of savory yogurts didn’t offer the "wow" factor necessary to kickstart a trend.
- "The original rationale for launching these was to provide consumers with a less sweet option since Greek yogurt took the yogurt category in that direction, and this was an extension of that," Tom Vierhile, innovation insights director at GlobalData, told Food Navigator. "Based on the sales result, it looks like it was just a bridge too far for consumers."
Dive Insight:
U.S. consumers may be trying to eat more vegetables, but that doesn't mean they want pureed beets in their morning yogurt.
But does this close the door on savory yogurts of all kinds? Not necessarily. Shoppers are turning away from once-staple brands like Yoplait in favor of higher-protein, lower-sugar Greek and Icelandic varieties. Consumers are also bringing yogurt to different meal occassions, using plain yogurt as a sour cream substitute and buying sweet varieties like Noosa's Mexican chocolate yogurt for dessert. The category seems ripe for experimentation — manufacturers may just need ease consumers into the concept of savory yogurts a little more slowly.
Manufacturers also need to find the right marketing strategy. Blue Hill positioned its line of savory yogurts — like beet, tomato and carrot — as ingredients for recipes. While this tactic may have reflected consumer behavior, it's possible that some consumers could have found the prospect intimidating, which could diminish its impulse purchase appeal.
That said, consumers are interested in eating healthier, both by incorporating more plants into their diet and minimizing how much sugar they eat. If yogurt makers are able to innovate new savory flavors that are approachable and craveable, this category could still find success. More and more consumers are viewing vegetables as a value-add, much like protein and probiotics. Listing how many veggie ingredients are in each container, much like how RXBARs list their simple ingredients on the packaging, could be a viable way to lure consumers to savory yogurts.
If done right, vegetable-based yogurts could recapture the public's interest in the segment. The $7.6 billion category saw sales drop 2.5% this year over last, with Greek yogurt down 4.8%. New savory, low-sugar varieties could be a way to bring growth back to the category. The key will be finding a recipe and a message that resonates with consumers, which will be necessary to capture long-term interest rather than a few one-time novelty purchases.