Yogurt Trends to Watch in 2024

Highlights

The top yogurt trends for 2024 are:

• High Protein
• New Flavors
• Plant-Based
• Less Sugar
• Clean Label

Growth Continues in the Global Yogurt Market

The yogurt market continues to see good growth globally, with an estimated $109.49 billion in sales and 44.17 million tonnes in production volume for 2023.¹ Increases in sales (+4.3% CAGR) and volume (+6.5%) from 2021 to 2023 are similar to category growth since 2010 (+5.6% and +5.4, respectively),² indicating yogurt is maintaining its relevance and meeting consumers’ needs.

Yogurt provides many benefits to consumers, including a portable ready-to-eat format, affordability, flavor variety, and healthy nutrition. The trends in protein snacks and functional snacks are important drivers of growth in the category since yogurt is known for its protein and probiotic content, in addition to its calcium.  

2024 Yogurt Trends

With more consumers seeking nutritious and enjoyable food and beverage products, the future looks bright for the yogurt category. As yogurt companies compete on innovation, some important trends are underway:

1. High Protein

Globally, 25% of recent yogurt launches featured a "high source of protein" claim (up 3 percentage points in four years).¹ In North America, it was 42%.² According to US consumers, high protein ties with low sugar as the most important attribute in a yogurt.³ 

Among recent US yogurt launches, "high or added protein" was the second most frequent claim (with low/no/reduced fat as the top claim).⁴ Protein is well known for its satiety benefits—especially important in a breakfast or snack and for weight management. Fortifying with protein or highlighting the product’s natural protein content is an opportunity to grab the attention of today’s consumers.

2. New Flavors

Nearly half of consumers globally enjoy yogurt because they think it’s tasty,⁵ a key insight for any yogurt brand focusing primarily on their products’ health and nutrition attributes. 46% of global consumers on average are influenced by flavor when purchasing yogurt (reaching as high as 63% in Brazil).⁶ 

Some brands are using new flavors or flavor combinations to stand out in the yogurt aisle, understanding that consumers are seeking a balance of healthy and great tasting. Examples include florals and spices complementing fruit flavors, such as mango hibiscus (Two Good Greek Yogurt) and blueberry & cardamom (Activia Less Sugar & More Good), and for kids, blue raspberry and green apple (Yoplait Gushers).

3. Plant-Based

To address consumers’ interest in plant-based, major yogurt brands have been adding dairy-free yogurts to their portfolios. US examples include Chobani Oat Plant-Based Oat Blend, Activia Dairy-Free Almondmilk Yogurt Alternative, and Yoplait’s Oui Dairy Free Coconut Dairy Alternative.

Though the US continues to lead in plant-based yogurt sales, at $382 million, there was sales growth around the world between 2021 and 2023, including in the US (+10.7% CAGR), the UK (+7.3%), Germany (+4.6%), Canada (+4.3%), and Australia (+3.6%).⁷ Globally, vegan claims on yogurt launches have nearly doubled in four years, growing from 5% to 9%.⁸

4. Less Sugar

Alongside protein, low sugar is rated as the most important attribute in yogurt among US consumers.⁹ The less sugar trend is taking hold across the food and beverage industry due to a more proactive approach to health by many consumers as they seek to manage things like weight, blood sugar, and inflammation. 

Some new products target reduced sugar—like Activia Less Sugar & More Good (with 40% less than its regular Greek nonfat yogurt) and Siggi’s Kids yogurt pouches (with 50% less than other kids’ yogurts)—while others have no added sugar, often relying on fruit for sweetness. More than 1 in 10 of recent yogurt launches globally featured no added sugar claims (up 4 percentage points since 2018),¹⁰ indicating consumers’ interest in less sugar is gaining traction.

5. Clean Label

In the US, the most important factor influencing food and beverage choices continues to be natural ingredients.¹¹ Naturalness and other clean label attributes are especially desired in products like yogurt, which consumers tend to perceive as healthy — 51% of consumers globally who eat yogurt do so because they think it’s healthy.¹²

The leading clean label claim showing up in recent yogurt launches is no additives/preservatives (present in 34% of launches in the US, 22% in Asia Pacific, and 13% in Europe).¹³ GMO-free and natural claims on new yogurts are the most prominent in the US (at 24% and 12%, respectively), while Europe leads in organic claims.¹⁴ 

Supporting Healthy and Delicious Nutrition

Glanbia Nutritionals offers the ingredients you need to give your consumers the healthy nutrition and delightful sensory experience they expect. From our enticing Flavors by Foodarom to our functional protein solutions like UltraHi® Protein Yogurt Technology and OptiSol^®1005 and 1007 dairy proteins, we have many solutions to help you meet the 2024 yogurt trends. 

Contact us to learn how we can support the success of your next product.

References

1-2. Innova Market Insights, Category Insider: Global Trends in Spoonable Dairy and Non-Dairy Yogurt, December 2022.
3-4. Mintel, High-protein yogurt: the trend is still buzzing, September 2023.
5-8. Innova Market Insights, Category Insider: Global Trends in Spoonable Dairy and Non-Dairy Yogurt, December 2022.
9. Mintel, High-protein yogurt: the trend is still buzzing, September 2023.
10. Innova Market Insights, Category Insider: Global Trends in Spoonable Dairy and Non-Dairy Yogurt, December 2022.
11. Mintel, High-protein yogurt: the trend is still buzzing, September 2023.
12-14. Innova Market Insights, Category Insider: Global Trends in Spoonable Dairy and Non-Dairy Yogurt, December 2022.