Innovative Concepts in Ambient Drinking Yogurt

Ambient drinking yogurts (ADY) are fermented dairy or plant protein-based products which undergo an extra heat treatment that provides them with the benefit of a long shelf life:

• Less food is lost to spoilage. Many yogurt products are thrown out simply because of the short “best by” date on the label so this is a giant step towards reducing food waste.
• Consumers appreciate the convenience of having a protein snack that doesn’t require refrigeration. This means it can easily be stored in a school lunchbox, backpack or gym bag without worry.
• By extension, a longer shelf life can mean improved production and distribution efficiencies, no special storage requirements, raw material and energy savings, as well as increased profitability for manufacturers.

Innovation shines in the ADY category through a variety of novel flavors, textures and formats that appeal to all ages. Here are the trends we are seeing:

1. Functional ADY: Supporting consumers’ health and wellness with protein, dietary fiber, digestion and immunity support, and vitamins.
2. ADY with Particulates: Fruit pieces, grains and other additions provide nutrition as well as a fun, dual texture experience.
3. Clean Label-Friendly: Simpler formulations with no added sugar or reduced sugar and “natural” ingredient claims.
4. Variety of Textures & Packaging Preferences: From refreshingly light to rich and indulgent textures to reach every consumer’s taste, as well as new aseptic cartons, pouches and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) packaging. This personalization trend addresses everyone’s preferred consumption occasion with convenience.
5. Expanded ADY Applications: The extension of ADY applications from consumer packaged goods (CPG) to the foodservice channel creates new innovation opportunities, such as milk-tea-juice-yogurt drinks, offering a tasty balance of sweet and sour with protein to meet consumer demand for healthier beverages at the chain store level.

Formulating for Ambient Drinking Yogurt

CP Kelco can help formulators innovate using a portfolio of nature-based ingredient solutions for dairy yogurt or plant-based yogurt alternatives, such as…

• GENU^® Pectin for protein protection during heat treatment, stability, suspension, texture enhancement, syneresis control and a pleasant mouthfeel.
• KELCOGEL^® Gellan Gum for suspension of particles and insoluble minerals, syneresis control and added texture.
• NUTRAVA^® Citrus Fiber, is upcycled from citrus peels, a byproduct of the juice industry. It supports fiber intake as well as starch replacement, syneresis control, body and mouthfeel.

Watch our quick video below to catch up on all the global happenings in ambient yogurt production.

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transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of CP Kelco.

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