The Devon-based processor has expanded its existing ‘Moo’ brand portfolio, which currently consists of conventional and organic UHT skimmed, semi-skimmed, and whole milk, with the addition of three new flavoured milk drinks.
The strawberry, chocolate, and chocolate fudge cake-flavoured milk products were launched exclusively with Morrisons earlier this month.
Speaking with DairyReporter.com, Crediton Dairy’s senior brand manager, Carole Baker, said that the company is preparing to take fuller advantage of increasing British consumer demand for value-added dairy products such as flavoured milk.
“Flavoured milk has shown really strong growth in the UK in the last few years,” said Baker. “Demand for chilled flavoured milk has grown by around 70% in the last five years, and combined chilled and ambient flavoured milk sales are still showing double digit yearly growth.”
“Consumers are looking to improve their health, they want convenience, they want value for money, but they also want to be indulgent. Flavoured milk taps into all of those needs.”
“There are a lot of opportunities here for innovation," she said.
Crediton “excited to be cut loose”
Devon-based Crediton Dairy - formerly owned by Milk Link - is in the process of being sold by current owner Arla Foods UK in a management buy-out.
Arla was ordered in September 2012 to sell the facility to gain clearance for its merger with Milk Link from the European Commission (EC).
According to Baker, the decision is “expected imminently.”
“We are really excited to be cut loose,” she said. “No one is expecting anything other than a go ahead. We are basically waiting for them to cross the T’s and dot the I’s.”
“Keen to get NPD machine started”
If or when the transaction is approved by the EC, Crediton will work to identify its future strategic direction.
“We are keen to get our NPD machine started,” said Baker. “At the moment we are looking at a lot of different opportunities, but we have not made any decisions on what our priorities are.”
“Once we have confirmation from the European Commission we will be sitting down to finalise our future strategic direction.”
“The European market is a lot different than the UK. In the EU they’re ahead. That means that in time, the UK will follow. There are a lot of opportunities here," she added.