M. Shahbandeh
Research expert covering agriculture & FMCG
Yogurt belongs to the dairy products category and is manufactured by the bacterial fermentation of milk. The most commonly used milk type for yogurt is cow’s milk. By comparing the per capita milk consumption of different countries, The U.S. is among the top ten consumers worldwide. But industry experts see very high potential in this expanding yogurt market in the U.S. Yogurt sales in the United States amounted to 7.22 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, up from 5.6 billion U.S. dollars in 2011.
Yogurt segmentation in the U.S.
The U.S. yogurt category is highly competitive and has seen many product introductions and innovations during recent years. Greek yogurt in particular created a lot of new excitement and activity within the yogurt segment. Greek yogurt saw tremendous growth over the past ten years. Greek yogurt has paved the path for other international-style yogurts. Relatively new products shaping the market include Australian-style and Icelandic-style yogurts. Most recently is the introduction of plant-based alternatives, which has swept the U.S. market as it provides more sustainable options. In 2022, the sales share of plant-based yogurt in the U.S. totaled 4.5 percent.Yogurt consumption
More than half of the U.S. population are regular consumers of yogurts or smoothie products. Of these yogurt products, most American consumers tend to consume regular dairy yogurt, as opposed to low-fat or sugar-free. Cheese and other milk products are still the leading dairy segment by purchase frequency, however.Key players in the U.S. market
One of the most frequently consumed yogurt brands in the U.S. are Chobani. Greek yogurt manufacturer Chobani has played a very important part in recent developments as they found the right approach to American consumers’ taste with their products at the right time. The generational difference in spending habits on Greek yogurt is less than one U.S. dollar per trip to the grocery store across all generations. Boomers spend the most on Greek yogurt, with 5.88 U.S. dollars per trip.
