New product round-up: From plant-based Lurpak to fruity cream cheese

Arla Foods’ Lurpak Plant Based spreadable

Arla Foods has rolled out a dairy-free version of its Lurpak spreadable butter in the UK and Denmark. The launch addresses changing consumer demands and new consumption habits and strengthens the brand’s position in the dairy alternatives’ space.

“We believe there is room for both dairy and non-dairy in a healthy, sustainable diet and our new innovation in plant based allows us to offer our shoppers that choice within our brand portfolio,” said Peter Giørtz-Carlsen, executive vice-president and COO of Arla Foods. “The launch of Lurpak Plant Based gives us the opportunity to bring the quality and taste of Lurpak to consumers. This ultimately ensures we continue driving growth across our portfolio and creating value that goes back to our farmer owners.”

Montchevre and Mike’s Hot Honey collaborate

Saputo USA cheese brand Montchevre teamed up with hot honey brand Mike’s Hot Honey to launch Montchevre Mike's Hot Honey Goat Cheese, a soft goats cheese that brings ‘a playful combination of creamy tang cut with sweet heat of hot honey for a sweet and savory flavor profile’.

According to Saputo USA, the new product addresses consumer demand for adventurous flavor mash-ups in the goat cheese category. “This flavor innovation is bold enough to stand on its own on a crisp cracker or slice of fruit yet fits perfectly in a variety of recipes for charcuterie boards, salads, sandwiches, pastas, pizza and more,” said Saputo USA marketing director Jenny Englert.

Montchevre Mike's Hot Honey Goat Cheese is  available in a 4oz log format in US grocery retailers nationwide.

Jeni’s fall flavors

Also betting on sweet and savory flavor profiles, US ice cream maker Jeni’s has released four new seasonal SKUs.

The line-up – comprising Pumpkin Seed & Rye Cookie; Miso Butterscotch Brownie; Sweet Potato Marshmallow Praline; and Bay Leaf Cheesecake – leverages harvest season flavors ‘without falling into the trappings of traditional fall flavors; not a dash of pumpkin spice in sight’, the company said.

Bay leaf adds eucalyptus and pine nuts to the vanilla base; miso – umami depth to butterscotch ice cream; pumpkin seed and rye – nuttiness and natural brown sugar notes; and the brand’s sweet potato-based affair is swirled with marshmallow-scented sweet cream and candied pecans.

The flavors are available in Jeni's scoop shops nationwide, online, and in select grocery stores across the US.

Kiri Petit Sweets land in Asia

Bel Group brand Kiri has released Kiri Petit Sweets, a range of sweet miniaturized cheese bites for adults, in Thailand and Singapore.

Formulated as guilt-free snacks inspired by classic French patisseries, the range comprises  Lemon Tart and Strawberry Fraisier and contains 15 kcal per cube (there are 15 individually-packed cubes per pack).

Alamjit Singh Sekhon, General Manager - South East Asia, said: In Thailand [and Singapore], The Laughing Cow Cheese is already a preferred cheese brand known for its innovative offerings to healthy snacking.

“The launch of Kiri Petit Sweets marks an exciting milestone for Bel as we continue to innovate and expand product portfolio, catering to the diverse preferences of consumers seeking healthy snacks. 5 portions of Kiri Petit Sweets has lower calories than 1 apple, making them delightful guilt-free treat.”

Lifeway kefir launches in South Africa

Lifeway Foods, Inc. has launched its Lifeway Kefir and ProBugs brands in the South African market. Exported from the US, the kefir and fermented probiotics products are currently shipping and available now from a mix of independent retailers and health food stores along with limited initial placements at chains such as Pick’n’Pay and Shoprite.

Lifeway president and CEO Julie Smolyansky said the company was taking ‘a thoughtful approach to global expansion’ by seeking out markets that can be accessed without major capital investment.

Kellanova’s Cheez-It arrives in the UK & Ireland

Snack brand Cheez-It has arrived across the pond with a reformulated recipe that delivers extra thin, crispy texture and 100% real cheese.

Citing a One Poll survey of 2,000 European consumers who eat cheese, Kellanova said 1 in 5 shoppers eat cheese at least once a day, with almost half (46%) admitting they ‘couldn’t live without it’ in their daily diet. A Kellanova Europe consumer study has shown that shoppers prefer cheesy, creamy, smoky and spicy flavors, and extra crispy, baked textures.

These trends have been addressed through the Cheeze-It Snap’d snack launches, which come in Double Cheese, Cheese & Chilli, and Cheese, Sour Cream & Onion.

Cheez-It Snap'd is available in small individual packs and larger sharing bags from across almost 7,000 stores in the UK and Ireland.