Accessible beneath the Activia intestine well being model, the vary contains 280ml single-serve drinkable kefir in Pure and Strawberry flavors, and 150g two-packs of spoonable kefir in Pure and Strawberry & Raspberry. Each codecs are rolling out in September 2024 throughout Waitrose, Tesco and Morrisons and might be out there in different supermarkets and shops by the tip of the yr.
Kefir is new to Activia however to not Danone: the corporate’s founder Isaac Carasso first distributed the fermented dairy beverage in Catalonia greater than a century in the past as a treatment for intestine issues on the finish of World Struggle I.
“In 1919, Danone distributed kefir alongside yogurt to pharmacies in Barcelona [and] has been efficiently tapping into the kefir pattern in varied areas exterior the UK, together with Italy, Spain, and France,” stated Rachel Wright, head of selling at Danone.
The vary includes a mix of 16 reside tradition strains in addition to calcium – however moreover diet, it’s style what Danone has centered on to draw customers nonetheless on-the-fence about attempting kefir.
“We have noticed that in all these markets, the first motivation for buying kefir is its well being advantages – significantly for digestive wellbeing – with style being a secondary consideration,” Wright defined. “This perception has guided us in making a product that balances intestine well being advantages, supported by a excessive variety of reside cultures, with a light, fulfilling style, guaranteeing it may be part of customers’ day by day routines.”
However low consciousness of the milk beverage’s well being advantages together with detrimental style perceptions stand in the best way of realizing the class’s full potential – based on Wright, solely 13% of UK households at the moment buy kefir versus round 20% in Europe.
Globally, the kefir market is poised for development at a CAGR of 6.8% and is predicted to succeed in a valuation of $2.44bn in 2027, based on market intelligence knowledge cited by Danone. With Activia being the best-selling intestine well being model within the chilled yogurts and desserts intestine well being class within the UK (primarily based on worth and quantity gross sales, Circana All Shops excl Discounters, Chilled Yogurts and Desserts Intestine Well being Section, worth and quantity gross sales for 52 w/e 20 April 2024), Danone is hoping to drive each consciousness and enchantment by redefining kefir’s style expertise – with a ‘tasty, delicate recipe that makes use of our signature velvety texture’ as Wright informed us.
In keeping with a 2020 consumer trial, information of kefir’s well being advantages alone didn’t entice contributors to embrace the ‘disagreeable’ style of yogurt with 50% kefir combined in – however reducing that to 30% did the trick. Consciousness of the beverage’s well being advantages additionally improved contributors’ emotional response.
“An Activia research revealed that whereas 70% of non-buyers are open to attempting kefir, scepticism about its style stays the largest barrier. Our product launch goals to handle these key boundaries and drive adoption into customers’ weight loss plan by offering a terrific tasting product,” Danone’s head of selling stated.
“With 40% of kefir patrons already buying Activia, this launch strategically addresses present shopper wants and encourages trial amongst these but to expertise kefir’s advantages.”
The primary goal market might be people trying to assist their intestine well being whereas balancing comfort, style and diet, whereas Danone’s chosen codecs enchantment to the energetic crowd, too.
“Our drink format caters to morning snacks and lunchtime wants, very best for these on-the-go, whereas the 150g spoonable format is nice as a part of breakfast or as a conveyable snack,” Wright stated.
“A 280ml bottle is ideal for consuming your kefir if you’re on-the-go. It’s additionally the optimum format for kefir-considerers who’re open to attempting kefir however they aren’t ready to decide to a bigger format buy.”
How is the UK’s kefir class faring in 2024?
Till Danone’s entry with Activia Kefir, solely a handful of gamers – Biotiful Intestine Well being, The Collective and Yeo Valley – competed within the UK kefir area, with merchandise starting from drinkable kefirs to yogurt and ice cream.
With round 70% share of the UK market, Biotiful Intestine Well being posted 22% enhance in revenues in FY23 with a double-digit rise in volumes suggesting demand for kefir has been rising. The corporate markets 250ml pure and flavored kefir drinks in addition to oat-based and spoonable kefir. Extra just lately, the corporate added a high-protein drinkable kefir vary, aimed toward athletes and energetic customers.
The Collective launched a fermented milk product aimed toward kids in January 2019 and has since expanded into pure and flavored kefir yogurt; and natural dairy Yeo Valley has innovated in ice cream with its Frozen Kefir vary and kefir pictures with added fiber.
In keeping with knowledge supplied by Kantar, the UK kefir market is in double-digit development in each quantity and gross sales phrases.
Complete kefir gross sales are up 33.37% YoY, with yogurt kefir up 27.48% and liquid kefir up 37.28%. In quantity phrases, the complete kefir class has grown 26% yr on yr, with liquid kefir volumes barely forward of yogurt (20% versus 18%).
Value per quantity has elevated 6.02% YoY with yogurt seeing 8.21% development versus liquid, at 5.36%.
Value per pack has shifted upwards too, with 11.76% YoY change, with liquid kefir pricing rising almost 14% whereas yogurt kefir is up 7.64%.
