Ambient drinking yoghurt's flourishing formula

Ambient drinking yoghurt, an entirely new category of dairy drinks, has taken China by storm since its launch in 2010, accounting for 13% of the country’s total yoghurt category in 2014.

According to Tetra Pak, the market for ambient drinking yoghurt has grown at a huge rate and is expected to achieve sales of almost €5 billion by the end of 2017, illustrating the scale of global opportunity for the product.

“Ambient drinking yoghurt is flourishing because it appeals to the lifestyle of the modern-day consumer, not just in China, but globally,” said Dan Björklund, manager of Centre of Expertise Dairy at Tetra Pak.

“Dairy brands have recognised this and we are getting requests for the product from small local producers, as well as international companies, from all around the world.”

The success of ambient drinking yoghurt in China has been driven by consumer demand for convenience, taste and nutritional benefit. Consumers are also increasingly opting for snacks and treats over traditional meals to fit in with their busy lifestyles.

Tetra Pak said that to make ambient drinking yoghurt suitable for on-the-go consumption and snacking, the product formulation has to be smooth and stable throughout its shelf life, while also preserving the fresh taste of yoghurt.

This requires a distinct product formulation and processing procedure, and while it is the same as chilled yoghurt in the initial stages, it needs heat treatment and aseptic filling after fermentation to ensure the viscosity and shelf life ​are maintained for several months.

Since the launch of Mosili’an, which Tetra Pak developed with Bright Dairy in 2010, 13 dairy producers have since entered the Chinese market with Tetra Pak processing lines.

“We have been delighted to work with our customers to develop a new dairy category in China,” added Björklund.

For more information, go to www.tetrapak.com/packaging/tetra-prisma-aseptic.