Yoghurt and Sour Milk Products in Croatia

PROSPECTS

Flavoured yoghurt is slowly giving way to drinking yoghurt, as health trend transcends old preferences

Traditionally, flavoured yoghurt was by far the most popular format. It is only relatively recently that drinking yoghurt and plain yoghurt have gained popularity, with drinking yoghurt now the largest category by volume and expected to post the most growth over the forecast period.

Consumers’ belief in digestion benefits remains intact despite EFA findings

After the ban on yoghurt and sour milk products claiming “probiotic” features, the situation seemed to calm down somewhat, albeit only in terms of advertising and outrageous claims by manufacturers. The fact that the European Food Agency did not find any correlation between using probiotic cultures and health benefits did not deter consumers from thinking about yoghurt and sour milk products as more beneficial to their health and digestion than milk.

Drinking yoghurt’s rise causes average pack sizes to grow, though enduring popularity of spoonable yoghurt will ensure size variety

In the past, yoghurt was exclusively available in 200ml thin wall containers in both flavoured and plain variants. Drinking yoghurt was not available at the time.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Leaders Dukat and Vindija benefit from strong support for local products

The category’s competitive landscape is very much the same as in every other dairy category: Dukat leads, followed by Vindija dd. Local buyers have good confidence in local brands such as theirs, perceiving them as offering quality, which works in favour of domestic companies.

Danone is active in showcasing Activia and Actimel

While its presence elsewhere in dairy is low, fourth-ranked Danone doo owes its strength in yoghurt and sour milk products to its globally acclaimed brands Activia and Actimel. Although the reach of its claims about health benefits has been limited lately, the target group remains the same and is growing.

The category is a tough nut to crack for new, small players

It is difficult to find a place in the fridge alongside the known leaders; brand loyalty and recognition are quite high in yoghurt and sour milk products. Smaller players must work out which retailers are willing to let them try their luck.

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