Yoghurt has been named the food trend of the decade by Harry Balzer, Vice President with the American market research firm NPD Group.”It’s very convenient. It’s very individualized …” said Balzer of yoghurt in an interview with National Public Radio. “This is just for you. It’s your own flavour. It has a health halo certainly surrounding it. It really does define what I think (consumers) want from (their) food supply.”

Plain or flavoured, served in a cup, a tube or a tub, yoghurt provides calcium, potassium and protein in a variety of ways. Some yoghurts are fortified with vitamin D, while it also presents a suitable option for many who have trouble drinking fluid milk and the “live active cultures” in yoghurt feed on lactose -making it viable for many with lactose intolerance.

According to consumption research, families with children and adults in their 30s eat the most yoghurt, with adults eating less in their older years. And there’s plenty of room for growth within the yoghurt category, registered dietitian Andrea Garen adds.

“(Shoppers) have certainly embraced single-serving flavoured and frozen yoghurts, but plain, unflavoured yoghurt is still fairly foreign,” said Garen, Project Manager with the Dairy Council of California. “Yoghurt is a versatile food ingredient used around the world, particularly in Greek and Indian cuisine.”

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