What's new in the dairy aisles for January?
More than a dozen products are included here from around the world for January 2017, however, we're always keen to add to this monthly feature, especially from countries other than the US, UK, Australia and New Zealand. If you have any products that have just launched, or are about to be launched, to include in this section, please email us!
Sheep milk calcium tablets with honey
New Zealand’s Spring Sheep Milk Co. has added Sheep Milk Calcium Chewable Tablets to its range of sheep milk products.
The new Sheep Milk Chews with Manuka Honey are available in two flavors, Blackcurrant and Strawberry, and are made from New Zealand sheep milk.
The company says that the chews are a convenient source of calcium for both children and adults.
Chief executive Scottie Chapman said that with growth in global supplement use, sheep’s milk-based products offer superior nutrition and digestibility benefits.
Spring Sheep Milk Co. was established in June 2015. It is a partnership between Landcorp (Pāmu), and boutique sales and marketing company SLC.
Marketing & innovation director Andrea Wilkins said the company is working on other new product development opportunities to meet growing demand, particularly in Asia, for unique and differentiated premium NZ dairy products.
She added that with recent government funding, the company will be conducting research in key export markets.
Back by popular demand
Yoplait Custard yogurt by General Mills is back after 10 years off the shelf, the company said.
The yogurt is made from whole milk and is available in six flavors (strawberry, blueberry, banana, lemon, and caramel).
The custard-style yogurt is made without artificial colors or flavors and high fructose corn syrup.
New flavors of Liberté Yogurt
Earlier this year, Liberté transitioned all of its yogurts to USDA certified organic.
Consumer will now see new flavors of the full-fat organic yogurt including Indonesian Vanilla Bean, and a limited batch flavor of Nicaraguan Coffee Bean made with organic direct trade Intelligentsia coffee.
“Products like Liberté yogurt provide transparency around the ingredients they use. For example, they aren’t just using vanilla beans, but vanilla beans from Indonesia,” General Mills VP of global consumer insights, Jeanine Bassett, said.
Floral and fruity ice cream in China
General Mills’ owned Häagen-Dazs has come out with a new line of “fruit and flowers” ice cream flavors like rose and raspberry & lychee, which will only be available in China.
The company’s innovation flavors is part of its strategy to appealing to consumers’ natural urge to indulge, General Mills VP of global consumer insights, Jeanine Bassett, said.
‘Snackifying’ dairy
The snacking trend is strong with 91% of consumers saying they snack multiple times throughout the day, according to a survey by the Hartman Group.
With new Yoplait Dippers, the brand combines non-fat Yoplait Greek yogurt with crunchy snacks made for dipping.
The product is available in six combinations from sweet to savory: chocolate raspberry chunk yogurt with chocolate pretzels; caramelized banana yogurt with chocolate pretzels; vanilla bean yogurt with honey oat bites; toasted coconut yogurt with honey oat bites; chipotle ranch yogurt with tortilla chips; and coffee chocolate chunk yogurt with cinnamon crisps.
All the flavors are free from artificial colors and flavors as well as high fructose corn syrup.
Laura Chenel’s new goat-cheese log
In the US, Laura Chenel’s is introducing a Garlic & Chives fresh chèvre log. The new 8-ounce goat cheese log, covered in chives, is an addition to the brand’s recently launched Pimento & Garlic log, dusted with red and green pimento peppers.
Laura Chenel’s Garlic & Chives log is made with fresh goat cheese mixed with garlic and shallots, then coated with chives.
As with all Laura Chenel’s cheeses, the new product is made using only fresh goat milk from nearby farms in the western region of the US.
siggi's whole-milk, drinkable yogurt
In the US, siggi's, the maker of Icelandic-style yogurt, has introduced single-serve, whole-milk, drinkable yogurt. The 8-ounce product comes in three variants, vanilla, strawberry and blueberry.
Made with whole milk and real fruit, this Swedish-style filmjölk is a natural, drinkable yogurt containing 8g of protein and 10bn probiotic cultures per serving.
siggi's drinkable yogurts are made without any artificial preservatives, thickeners, sweeteners, flavors or colors. The product will retail for $1.69.
Arla vitamin D enhanced milk
Asda Vitamin D milk has launched fortified fresh milk from Arla in the UK.
The launch is in response to increased consumer demand for products with additional dietary or nutritional benefits.
The product was developed by Arla Foods, and contains two micrograms of vitamin D per 100ml. A normal serving is 250ml, which means half of an adult’s recommended daily vitamin D intake can be found in one glass of the milk.
Coffee-Mate dairy alternative coffee creamers
Coffee-Mate natural bliss has launched a line of products made with dairy alternatives available in four different flavors: vanilla almond milk, caramel almond milk, hazelnut almond milk and sweet crème coconut milk.
The new coffee creamers are made with ingredients like real almonds, coconuts from Sumatra, vanilla from Madagascar and pure cane sugar to offer consumers an alternative to traditional dairy creamers.
Welsh butter hits Trader Joe’s
Bodnant Dairy’s Welsh butter is being introduced to all 400 Trader Joe’s outlets in the US.
Emmi Roth launches new organics cheese line
Roth Organics is the latest launch by specialty cheese manufacturer Emmi Roth USA. The four new cheeses are made using fresh, certified organic milk from local dairy farms.
The organic line features Roth’s flagship Grand Cru Original now available in organic, as well as Organic Van Gogh Gouda, Organic Havarti and Organic Sharp Cheddar. Each variety is also gluten-free, non GMO, rBST-free and vegetarian friendly.
“There is a strong demand for organic products that has grown significantly over the past few years,” said Tim Omer, president and managing director at Emmi Roth USA.
The new Roth Organics line was introduced at the Winter Fancy Food Show January 21-23 in San Francisco.
Roth Organic Grand Cru Original can be found at select Whole Foods Markets. The entire line is now available to retailers nationwide and will be rolling out throughout 2017.
Le Roulé spreadable cheese
Le Roulé is a fresh, French spreadable cheese that is sprinkled with either savory or sweet ingredients, and then hand-rolled to form a log before being sliced.
The line-up of three variants for this new product in the US is: Garlic & Herb, Savory & Sweet Peppers, and Cranberry.
Le Roulé is handcrafted in France’s northeast mountain region of Les Vosges, in the village of Neufchâteau.
It is made with fresh curd spread atop a layer of spicy, tart or sweet ingredients, then rolled to form a log, sliced, and individually hand-packaged.
Garlic & Herb is available in a 5.3-ounce package; Savory & Sweet Peppers – which features red and green peppers as well as spices and herbs such as chili pepper, paprika, cumin, and coriander, comes in a 4.4-ounce package; and Cranberry is also available in a 4.4-ounce package.
New packaging for Saint Benoît Creamery
The California company Saint Benoît Creamery is launching a new logo and refreshed packaging graphics for its line of Organic Jersey Cow’s Whole Milk Yogurt.
Four flavors are available in a single serve, 4.75-ounce recyclable glass jar: French Vanilla, Meyer Lemon, Strawberry, and Original. Not only has the label on the glass jar been updated, but the foil lid is also different for each variety. Similarly, a 23-ounce family format is sold in a glass jar, but with a gold-tone twist-off lid, in three flavors: French Vanilla, Meyer Lemon, and Original.
Saint Benoît yogurt is made solely from Jersey cow’s milk, which has a naturally sweet and creamy taste. The company also uses yogurt cultures from France.
The fruit spreads used in Saint Benoît’s yogurts are made from whole, locally-grown, tree-ripened organic fruit and handcrafted by a local farm.
Nestlé and Hostess Brands launch line of ice cream
Hostess Brands has collaborated with Nestlé Dreyer’s Ice Cream Company to launch Hostess Frozen Novelties and Ice Cream. The parties have entered a license agreement through which Nestlé will manufacture and distribute the new products under the Hostess brands.
Inspired by Hostess products, three new ice cream flavors are now available in grocery and convenience store freezers nationwide: Twinkies, CupCakes, and Sno Balls.
The Twinkies ice cream includes bite-sized sponge cake pieces mixed with frosting in butter cream ice cream. The CupCakes ice cream collaboration takes chocolate ice cream and mixes in bite-sized CupCake pieces swirled with frosting. The third flavor, Sno Balls ice cream, mixes bite-sized chocolate cake pieces and whipped pink coconut swirl in a marshmallow ice cream.
The ice cream will be available in pints for $2.99 SRP and 48-ounce cartons for $5.99.
