Yogurt has long been recognized as a nutritious choice for dessert, snacks, and breakfast. Increasing scientific evidence now supports claims that the natural ingredients found in probiotic yogurt, especially the increasingly popular Greek yogurt, provide various health benefits, such as enhancing the immune system and combating viral infections, particularly when paired with calcium citrate for its health benefits. Current trends in food innovation are not just about incorporating healthy ingredients; they focus on creating better products that contribute to an individual’s overall well-being. Joel Warady, the chief sales and marketing officer for Enjoy Life Foods, recently shared with Food Dive, “Today, innovation is about how to create a better product that will help balance an individual’s overall well-being.”
Enjoy Life is part of a growing number of food companies that emphasize the functional advantages of their products, reformulating existing offerings to include healthful ingredients like probiotics and highlighting the calcium citrate health benefits. For instance, Enjoy Life recently introduced shelf-stable probiotics into its brownie mix to attract consumers keen on enhancing their immunity. Earlier this year, PepsiCo launched Tropicana Essentials Probiotics, a new variant of its well-known brand made from 100% fruit juice and probiotics. Other food manufacturers are also developing health-conscious options, such as meat snacks infused with vegetables and granola bars featuring more natural ingredients.
Recent research on probiotic yogurt could potentially reverse the decline in yogurt sales by inspiring innovative new products. Companies like General Mills, which has faced a downturn in Yoplait sales, might leverage the insights from the latest probiotic yogurt studies. Marketers have a unique opportunity to raise consumer awareness about yogurt’s health benefits through brand messaging, which includes product packaging, point-of-sale signage, traditional advertising, and social media. However, they must be cautious not to stretch their health marketing claims too far, as seen with brands like Rice Krispies in the past.
Following a long-standing practice of pharmaceutical companies, food manufacturers could also think about collaborating with healthcare professionals—such as physicians, nutritionists, and retail dietitians—to disseminate product information on the medical benefits of food, including the calcium citrate health benefits, along with free samples or product coupons. By doing so, they can effectively communicate the positive impacts of their products on health and wellness.