As always, we welcome your contributions, whether it's cheese from Chile, yogurt from Yemen, milk from Madagascar or butter from Bulgaria. Please send any new product information to us - including images if possible - for inclusion in our global monthly round-up.
Arla Quark
Arla Foods, the farmer-owned dairy company, has continued its expansion of its Arla brand portfolio with the launch of Arla Quark, in this relatively unknown but fastest growing cheese category in UK.
The soft cheese is well-known in Europe, but has taken hold in the UK amongst consumers looking to low fat alternatives for ingredients such as ricotta, mascarpone and other soft cheeses.
Arla says the new Quark range intends to highlight the benefits of Quark and signpost its usage – simple recipe suggestions are included on the inside of the carton.
Arla Quark is available from Asda in three varieties – Plain (500g), Cherry Tomato & Basil (250g) and Garlic & Herb (250g).
Winter flavors for Ben & Jerry’s
Ben & Jerry’s has introduced three flavors to its UK winter range.
The flavor 'One Sweet World' is set to launch as part of the brand’s European social mission campaign One Sweet World, which reflects Ben & Jerry’s belief that, “communities, just like ice cream, come in all flavors and together we make One Sweet World!”
The One Sweet World campaign is being launched in partnership with charity 'HOPE not hate', to help to unite communities.
One Sweet World features Fairtrade coffee and caramel ice cream, with marshmallow and salted caramel swirls with chocolate ampersands. Proceeds go to HOPE not hate.
The other two flavors are Empower Mint and One Love.
Empower Mint features mint ice cream with chocolate brownies made at Greyston Bakery, and a chocolate fudge swirl. Greyston is a social enterprise in Yonkers, New York, which uses baking to support people back into employment, and to turn their lives around through training and education.
One Love combines banana ice cream with caramel, cookie swirls and chocolate peace signs. Proceeds go to help fund the One Love Youth Camp in Jamaica, which supports young people, helping them to unlock their potential through music, dance and arts.
Ben & Jerry’s One Sweet World, Empower Mint and One Love hit the freezers as part of the Classic range (500ml), with an RRP of £4.99 ($6.07).
Holiday eggnog
HP Hood dairy brand has announced the rollout of Hood Eggnog for the 2016 US holiday season. Traditional Hood Golden Eggnog is joined this year by three additional flavors: Pumpkin, Vanilla and Sugar Cookie.
All flavors are available in quart-sized containers and Golden Eggnog is also available in a half gallon and 14 oz. size.
Hood said that its eggnog can also serve as a unique ingredient in dessert and breakfast recipes such as Golden Eggnog Cake, Bread Pudding or French Toast.
Breaded cheese curds
Snack appetizer brand Farm Rich has introduced breaded cheddar cheese curds using cheese sourced from Wisconsin-based LaGrander’s Hillside Dairy.
Farm Rich cheddar cheese curds are available in supermarkets primarily in the Midwest and Southeast regions of the US, with plans for nationwide expansion later this fall and next year.
Priced between $4.99-6.99 for a 16-ounce carton (prices vary by store), the curds can be found in the freezer section and prepared at home in a conventional oven, toaster oven or deep fryer in 10 minutes.
ProNourish for digestive sensitivity
Nestlé Health Science has launched ProNourish, a nutritional drink product designed and marketed specifically to be low in FODMAPs for people with digestive sensitivities. ProNourish is also well-suited for consumers with lactose intolerance.
FODMAP is an acronym for Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides And Polyols, which classifies specific types of short-chain carbohydrates that can be poorly absorbed in the small intestine in some individuals.
Packaged in 8-ounce bottles, ProNourish can be found in the nutritional drink section at grocery stores or pharmacies throughout the US.
New Premium milk in Mumbai
Indian milk manufacturer, Mother Dairy, has a new “Premium” high cream milk for consumers throughout the greater Mumbai region. Available in 500-ml and 1-liter pack sizes, Premium milk has the highest fat content out of all the company’s products with 15% extra malai (cream) in comparison to full cream milk, according to the company.
“The rich fat content makes this variant a perfect fit for preparation of home-made sweets, curd and ghee etc. apart from regular usage thereby making every day, delicious,” Mother Dairy business head Sandeep Ghosh said.
Yogurt salad dressing in Finland
Finnish food company Orkla is launching a salad dressing, Felix Jogurtti Tsatsiki, which is a combination of yogurt, cucumber and garlic.
Orkla says it tastes less sweet than many other salad dressings. The fat content is 15% and the product is gluten-free. It will be in stores in Finland in early November.
Upbeat Active new flavor
The Good Whey Company’s Upbeat Active protein drinks are hitting UK shelves with a new look, feel and flavor: Coconut and Pineapple.
The drink blends whey protein with coconut water. Upbeat Active is now available nationwide in Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Ocado.
Almond Protein Powder
Almond Pro is introducing its Almond Protein Powder available on Amazon or through the company’s website in chocolate and vanilla.
The launch of Almond Protein Powder by Almond Pro, follows the 2015 launch of its Organic High Protein Almond Flour.
Each serving of Almond Protein Powder contains 19 grams of almond protein, 6 grams of natural fiber and 14 vitamins and minerals, and is made from real almonds – not almond flavor.
Almond Pro products contain a low fat to protein ratio, made possible by the company's "pressurized extraction" technique.
Using this artisanal method, the company significantly reduces the amount of fat contained in its almonds, thereby increasing the protein content of its products.
Chef’s Splendor Dips by Prairie Farms
Prairie Farms has released its line of Chef’s Splendor Dips in three flavors: roasted red pepper, tzatziki, and spicy ranch, all made from sour cream, vegetables, and spices.
The flavored, gluten-free dips are crafted in small batches with milk and cream from cows not treated with artificial growth hormones, the company said.
The dips are available throughout Midwest retail locations in 12-ounce containers for a suggested retail price of $2.39.
Valio Finnish butter spread
Valio Better is a butter-like spread produced at Valio’s Seinäjoki dairy in Western Finland.
“We set out to create a completely new kind of spread with a full fresh taste and soft texture, approaching its development from an entirely original angle. Valio Better spread combines the full taste of butter with the lightness of quark in a brand new way,” Valio category manager Annamari Lammi said.
Valio Better contains 37% quark. The light qualities of quark reduce the product’s fat content, and as a result the product contains 40% fat (27% vegetable fat, 13% dairy fat) with a salt content of 1 g/100 g.
According to the company, turnip rape oil adds essential alpha-linolenic acid, better known as omega-3s.