State of global marketing: new international products and how they are marketed

Dairy Foods, Oct, 2004 by Donna Berry

Weight Watchers Low Fat Cheese Spread is a soft cheese fortified with vitamins A, C and E. It contains 56 calories per serving and is packaged in 150g plastic recloseable. rectangular containers.

National Foods is Australia's largest publicly traded dairy company. The company is also the licensor and manufacturer of Yoplait branded products. A year and a half ago the company rolled out Yoplait B-Fast Breakfast on the Go, a breakfast product made from a blend of milk, cereal and fruit.

The product provided the goodness of cereal and sustained energy. It was microwaveable and could be consumed hot or cold.

Through a little formulation refining and changes in marketing direction. B-Fast Breakfast on the Go was replaced recently by Yoplait Le Rice. a blend of rice and milk with premium fruits or sauces. It can be eaten cold from the fridge, or warmed in the microwave for a winter warmer-upper. Yoplait Le Rice is 97% fat free. The line comes in seven varieties: Apple Cinnamon, Banana & Honey, Classic Vanilla. Mountain Berries, Smooth Caramel. Strawberries & Cream and Tropical Mango.

Regular sleeplessness is becoming as big of a risk to health and wellness as is poor diet and lack of exercise. To help with the problem, Crickeret Farm, Somerset, England, markets Night Time Milk, a milk that contains higher-than-typical levels of melatonin. Melatonin is a natural substance that controls the body clock and helps people, and cows, fall asleep. It is a natural hormone that plays a central part in regulating sleep patterns and, in the medical world, is often used as a drug to help people with chronic sleep problems.

Night Time Milk is simply cows milk from the first milking of the morning, when melatonin levels are highest. As with humans, not all cows produce the same amount of melatonin, which is why Night Time Milk is provided by herds that have been specially selected for their ability to produce milk that is naturally higher in melatonin. Night Time Milk tastes just like regular cows milk and is just as nutritious. All that is different is the higher levels of melatonin. Night Time Milk has a 1.7% fat content.

Night Time Milk, which is designed to be consumed warm as part of the bedtime routine, can also be enjoyed during the day without causing drowsiness. This is due to the fact that human levels of melatonin are naturally very low during daylight hours.

The Muller Amore range of luxury yogurts now includes Italian-inspired Morello Cherry. Other flavors in the line include Creamy Cappuccino and Stracciatelli; Apple Strudel, Walnut and Greek Honey; and Spanish Orange. This premium yogurt range is more a dessert than a yogurt. Ingredient panels indicate that single-serve 150g cups are 13% to 14% whipping cream, depending on variety.

"With premium brands becoming increasingly attractive to consumers, we are ensuring our range is constantly updated to guarantee its continued appeal," says Andrew Harrison, gen. mgr., at U.K.-based Muller Dairy Ltd. "The addition of Morello Cherry to the range offers something different, while complementing the continental taste consumers expect from the Amore brand."

Schratter Foods Inc., Fairfield, N.J., U.S. marketers of Ile de France fine gourmet cheeses, has launched extensions of the brand's popular Camembert and chevre (goat cheese) lines. Boasting a more intense flavor and distinctively different taste than Brie is Ile de France's new Camembert Cremeux (creamy Camembert). An extremely creamy cheese featuring an ivory color and intense mushroom and nutty aftertaste, Camembert Cremeux comes in Ile de France's exclusive "extended freshness" package. The new package technology, which features a parchment-wrapped Camembert packed in a freshness sealed box, preserves the cheese flavor much longer without losing any of its original qualities. The process enables the cheese to age to perfection and stop its evolution until the seal is broken when opened.

Also, exclusive to lie de France and available for the first time is Chevre Chaud--mini fresh goat cheese delicately coated in toasted bread crumbs. A renowned dish from gourmet French restaurant chefs. Chevre Chaud requires only a few minutes of heating in a pan and, once heated, features a warm, crispy exterior, complemented by the natural freshness of the goat cheese.

Tesco, a mega-mass-merchandiser chain in the United Kingdom, recognizes the increasing popularity of probiotic dose beverages and offers a private label version of such cultured dairy drink. Sold in four packs of 100g bottles. Tesco Probiotic Health Drink contains Lactobacillus acidophilus La-5 and inulin, and is described as helping preserve a positive balance of friendly bacteria in the system.

In Spain, Nestle has launched Sveltesse Fruta y Leche 0%, a skimmed fermented milk drink with peach juice containing 0% fat. Sold in 720ml hour-glass shaped recloseable, plastic bottles, Sveltesse is targeted to calorie-conscious females.

Japan's Koiwai Dairy Products recently rolled out a homemade-style yogurt that is all about health and wellness. The yogurt contains big chunks of grapefruit, which are high in the antioxidant vitamin C, and aloe vera pulp, which is considered a natural healing food that slows down the aging process.