Dairy Processing - April 2021 - 50

PACKAGING

" We're seeing larger formats
for sharing at home in a multiperson household, as people
are not going out to eat. "
Chris Higgins, Matrix Packaging Machinery

" Multivac has seen significant growth in dairy snack stick lines
which take advantage of traditional flexible vacuum packages
as well as rigid film packaged for higher-end protein snacks and
assortment trays, " said Christian Uebele, director of product
innovation and technical training for Multivac, Kansas City.
Meanwhile, with more people at home spurring a cooking
renaissance and an interest in food as entertainment, other
50 APR 2021 | DAIRYPROCESSING.COM

dairy snacks have a time to shine. For example, the popularity
of charcuterie boards has led to new packaged charcuterie
products, such as a Charcuterie Tasting Board from the
Columbus Craft Meats subsidiary of Hormel Foods. Austin, Minn.
The ready-to-serve product includes two kinds of salami, aged
white cheddar cheese, chocolate-covered cranberries, olives
and multigrain crackers presented on a wood-printed board and
wrapped in a peel-off clear film.
Convenience, a significant driver of packaging innovation
for the past couple of decades, continues to be a hallmark of
package design for dairy snacks.
One new product that marries convenience with other
in-demand product attributes is Silk Kids Almondmilk Yogurt
Alternative. The Silk brand recently introduced this yogurt

Silk Kids Almondmilk Yogurt Alternative single-serve cups,
combining convenience and in-demand health attribures
alternative product, which is fortified with calcium and vitamin
D, free of peanuts, gluten and lactose and available in a four-pack
of 4-oz single-serve cups.
While dairy processors and brands are spearheading many
dairy snack innovations, there is also a certain inventiveness
coming from retailers.
" One of the things we are finding out in discussions with
retailers is that there is such an opportunity to innovate,
differentiate and add value, " said Burt Flickinger, managing
director of Strategic Resource Group in New York City.
" And unless dairy brands innovate, retailers will start to do
it themselves. "

SUSTAINABLE SNACKING
The groundswell of interest in sustainable packaging
overall is impacting dairy snack categories, too. Many dairy
processors are investigating or investing in sustainable
packaging materials and methods, as part of their own
corporate responsibility practices and to meet burgeoning
consumer demand.

Silk

for this kind of all-day eating across
demographics. The milk, cheese,
yogurt and ice cream categories
encompass an array of snacks that
can be purchased for single-serve
and smaller portions as well as
larger and family-sized portions.
Within dairy snacks, some segments
are faring particularly well. Not surprisingly
in a pandemic, snacks with health claims are garnering attention.
In its recent research on the dairy snack market, Mordor
Intelligence reported that demand for healthy and convenient
snack options is largely fueling sales of dairy snack products.
Several examples of dairy snacks positioned as better for you
are available in the market. Bel Brands rolled out a new Laughing
Cow Blend cheese spread made with dairy cheese and plantbased ingredients such as lentils, red beans and chickpeas and
packaged in pre-portioned wedges with eight wedges in a round.
When the California Milk Advisory Board recently offered
an innovation-focused competition called the Real California
Milk Snackcelerator, several entries were healthy takes on
sweet and savory dairy snacks. Finalists included Peekaboo
Ice Cream, organic ice cream made with added nutritional
benefits of vegetables; Point Reyes Farmstead Whey Cool
Kitchen Curd Cup, a high protein snack in a mix-in cup format;
Wunder Cheesecake Bites, a high-protein, low-carb snackable
cheesecake available in a single-serve package; and FitPro
Heroes' Cookies, packaged protein cookies with ingredients
touted for healthy energy, joint support, and inflammation relief.
For consumers who are trying to reduce health risks by
losing weight, keto snacks are still hot. Keto-friendly dairy
snacks include cheese sticks, cheese crisps, multipacks of
cheeses, meat snacks and nuts and higher-fat, lower-carb ice
creams and novelties, among other items.

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Dairy Processing - April 2021

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