Yoghurt and Sour Milk Products in France

2021 DEVELOPMENTS

Mixed picture for yoghurt and sour milk products in 2021 as foodservice gets a boost at the expense of retail volume sales

After seeing growth in current retail value and volume terms in 2019, yoghurt and sour milk products is expected to see decline once again in 2020, following ongoing trends seen across the review period. However, this will be tempered by a surge in foodservice volume sales, as local consumers flock to horeca as lockdown restrictions ease.

Danone retains overall leadership but experiences growing competition from smaller brands with premium health-positioned options

Danone France SA is set to retain its overall leadership of yoghurt and sour milk products in 2021 by offering a wide range of brands within flavoured, drinking and plain yoghurt, including the highly popular Activia, Actimel and Velouté. Encouraged by increased demand for plain yoghurt as the health and wellness trend in France deepens, Danone launched new skyr and Greek yoghurt brands towards the end of the review period.

Convenience stores and e-commerce gain ground at the expense of other retail channels in 2021

While store-based retailing is expected to retain its dominance in terms of distribution for yoghurt and sour milk products by offering a wide range of products and competitive prices from private label ranges, e-commerce and convenience stores have catered for different consumers groups during the pandemic and are set to gain value share at the expense of every other retail channel in 2021. Convenience stores in smaller neighbourhoods offer greater accessibility and proximity to older generations in particular who have not wanted to travel far for their grocery shopping, while e-commerce continues to gain in popularity in France, with consumers appreciating home delivery or click-and-collect options.

PROSPECTS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Organic products and reduced packaging trends will continue to gain ground in the years ahead, despite ongoing economic uncertainty

Organic products have been driving growth in yoghurt and sour milk products for the last couple of years, and while this slowed during the pandemic, it is expected that they will continue to outperform non-organic yoghurts in the coming years. Organic brands tend to be creative in their innovation, as evidenced by Danone organic brands Les Deux Vaches and Faire Bien (which are grouped under the name Les Pres Riant Bio).

Overall declining demand in retail volume terms will be offset by positive growth in foodservice

Retail volume demand for yoghurt and sour milk products is predicted to decline across the forecast period, mainly because of a return to foodservice as lockdown measures in France are further eased. The latter is expected to see robust growth as a result.