Whole Health: Babies and Boomers

JEFF WELLS

Kids are one of the most promising demographics for healthy yogurt offerings, and manufacturers are catering to them in creative new ways. Dannon's Danimals line recently came out with Crush Cups, which lets kids squeeze the low-fat yogurt out of each container.

Horizon, meanwhile, just released Little Blends, a mixture of fruits and vegetables aimed at children 6 months and older.

“I think most of the innovations we've seen that are interesting in the yogurt category are targeting kids,” said David Browne, senior analyst with Mintel.

Browne thinks that companies may be missing an opportunity, though — at the other end of the age spectrum.

“Baby Boomers are very concerned about eating well, and so you'd think they would be a prime target for yogurt companies,” he said. “And yet, they're not the most likely to buy yogurt, and I think one of the hurdles is that yogurt is very sweet to them.”

While manufacturers may not be doing much to solve the “sweetness” factor beyond offering yogurts with stevia and other alternative sweeteners, they are adding more calcium and fiber to their blends.