Last year, the world ate a lot of vegan yogurt. In fact, sales of the products increased by more than 66 million pounds (or 30,000 metric tons) in 2018 compared to 2017, according to new research.
An analysis, conducted by market research firm Fact.MR, found that emerging flavors, celebrity endorsement, and the health benefits of dairy-free recipes are driving the growth of the market.
“A rapid spike in the global vegan population has bolstered the demand for vegan yogurts across the world,” the report reads. More people than ever are ditching animal products for health, environmental, and animal welfare reasons. In the U.S, the number of vegans increased by 600 percent in three years. In the UK, figures rose by 700 percent in just two years.
The report continued, “The increasing demand for vegan yogurt and other vegan products is being led by millennials who have been instrumental in promoting and expanding the vegan movement around the world.”
Another report released last year revealed that non-dairy yogurt sales are set to hit $7 billion thanks to the public’s “rising preference for vegan diet.”
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Making Yogurt Without Cows
Almond-based dairy products are the most popular in the sector, says the report. This finding was mirrored in other recent data by market research company YouGov, which found that nearly half of Americans would like to try vegan dairy made from almonds. Almond cream cheese and yogurt sounded especially attractive to 44 percent of survey participants.
Brands like major dairy producer Danone are helping to boost the plant-based sector. Late last year, Danone introduced a line of probiotic almond milk-based yogurts. This week leading US Greek yogurt producer Chobani announced its first vegan yogurt launch. Similarly, UK-based vegan dairy brand Nush Foods makes animal-free yogurt, milk, and cheese out of almonds.
It’s not just almonds taking center stage in the vegan dairy industry. Vegan dairy can be made with macadamias, cashews, tiger nuts, banana flour, chickpea juice, and coconuts. The Coconut Collaborative – Europe’s number one coconut yogurt brand – uses the fruit to make flavored vegan dairy pouches for kids, “snowconut sticks,” puddings, and other desserts.
Image Credit: Coconut Collaborative
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