Dairy Processing - April 2021 - 11

community, " said Diana Danoff, brand manager
for Sebastopol, Calif.-based Green Valley
Creamery, makers of 'dairy everyone can eat.'
" We want to bring dairy back into the lives of
every single person in this community. "
Ms. Danoff said the company is entirely
focused on serving the lactose-intolerant
community with an ever-expanding line of
lactose-free, real dairy products available at
every grocery store.
" When we first came to market, all of our
products were certified organic. However, in
an effort to serve the broadest base of lactoseintolerant people, we've recently launched a
full line of affordable and accessible products,
including kefir, sour cream, cream cheese and
butter, " she said. " We have many other new
products in the pipeline for 2021-22. In five
years, we expect to have a full line of everyday
dairy items available nationwide. "
Ms. Danoff said the market is trending
upward in the lactose-free dairy category as it
is seeing strong growth across all channels and
product categories.
" Driven by a combination of real-dairy
lactose-free products and plant-based products
labeled as lactose-free, we know that 40% of
US households now use dairy alternatives; 30%

of people in those households
use them due to dairy/lactose
intolerance, " Ms. Danoff said.
" Our lactose-free cottage cheese,
for example, grew 44% from 2019
to 2020 and our butter, a new item,
grew 479% after just one year on
the market. "
Ms. Danoff said lactose-free yogurt
growth is particularly strong with new entries
from Chobani and Siggi's driving growth
in conventional and smaller brands
like Forager, Nancy's and Culina in
the natural channel.
" We're seeing strong growth in
almost all lactose-free and plantbased segments, especially in
cheeses both dairy and non-dairy,
lactose-free labeled products, " she
said. " The expectation is that demand
for lactose-free products will continue to
increase for some time. "
When asked how Green Valley Creamery
gets ahead of emerging trends in the health and
nutrition space, Ms. Danoff said the company
really listens to the community in which it serves.
" We listen to our community. People who
suffer from lactose intolerance or sensitivity are
at the center of everything we do, " she said. " We
actively engage with our consumers via social
media and through direct contact, and we listen
to what they say they need. In addition, we work
closely with dieticians, influencers, thought
leaders and retailers operating in the health and
wellness space. "
Although understanding of lactose sensitivity
is growing, unfortunately, Danoff said, most
people still don't understand the cause of
their discomfort or they 'suffer in silence' and
crave an easy way to enjoy dairy, especially in
social settings.
" The primary opportunity we see is through
raising the educational level on lactoseintolerance and offering that community
delicious, real dairy products that can be
enjoyed by all, " she said.

Babybel Plus+
Probiotic contains live
and active cultures
of the LGG probiotics
strain with evidence
to suggest immune
health benefits when
consumed as a part
of balanced diet and
healthy lifestyle.

*Midwest Dairy collects forecasting data from
research partners Mintel, Technomic, IRI,
Aimpoint, and others.
DAIRYPROCESSING.COM | APR 2021 11

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Dairy Processing - April 2021

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