Legendairy!

Renowned for excellent standards, Ireland’s 17,500 dairy farmers work 365 days a year to produce the highest quality dairy produce which is revered all over the world. As Zoë Kavanagh, CEO of the National Dairy Council (NDC) highlights: “Dairy is nutritious, accessible, and affordable and is recognised as a vital part of people’s diet and general health.” With that in mind, here we outline the best-selling brands driving further category growth

Brand Central

21 March 2023

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One of Ireland’s oldest indigenous industries, dairy is a fundamental part of our national heritage. Milk, cheese and yoghurt feature prominently at mealtimes in households across the country, according to findings of national research of 1,500 Irish adults by the European Milk Forum (EMF) as part of its “Dairy in a Healthy and Sustainable European Food System” campaign.

Dairy remains a firm favourite among Irish consumers with 92% saying dairy features in their diet and over half (66%) believing meals would not be the same without their favourite dairy products. Key purchasing considerations for consumers are nutrition and taste with 77% regarding dairy as a healthy and nutritious addition to their diet; 66% value the delicious taste of dairy while 48% believe dairy products are fresh and not highly processed. Here, we take a closer look at the innovative brands continuing to drive sales in the category.

Goodness for immune systems

Every shot of Actimel is bursting with 10 billion L.casei cultures and is packed with vitamin D*, helping to support an individual’s immune system.

Each small but mighty bottle makes a tasty addition to your customers’ daily routine.

Actimel is available in a multitude of delicious flavours from Strawberry to Multifruit and even Actimel Kids flavours, Strawberry Banana and Peach Apricot. A dairy free option is also available, which comes in two tasty flavours, Mango Passion Fruit and Blueberry.

The brand’s advice to consumers is straightforward: “Show some love to your immune system by consuming Actimel as part of a healthy balanced diet and lifestyle.

“Just shake it up and drink it down and give the day your best shot!”

*(Actimel contains Vitamins B6 and D to help support the normal function of the immune system.

*(Enjoy as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle)

Deliciously good for gut health

Due to the significant role the gut plays within our bodies, Activia is proud to be passionate about its work in this area, and “deliciously good for your gut health”.

Indeed, Activia as “the gut health hero”, has been operating in this area for more than 30 years, which is why the brand keeps on innovating and finding delightful new ways to love your guts.

The uniquely mild and creamy yogurt is packed with billions of live cultures, and hence why it’s “deliciously good for gut health”. With a unique blend of five ferments, Actimel’s billions of live cultures are strong enough to survive until they reach the gut.

From the delicious fruit range with carefully selected ingredients to no-added sugar and 0% fat pots, and all the way to its cereals range with fibre, there’s an Activia option for everyone. From raw fruit to wholesome grains, Activia serves yogurts in your shoppers’ favourite flavours and formats.

*(Enjoy as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle, calcium contributes to the normal function of digestive enzymes)

*(Contains naturally occurring sugars)

Ireland’s number one

As Ireland’s number one dairy brand, Avonmore products are enjoyed on a daily basis in households across Ireland. The success factors have been around sustained investment in the brand; partnerships with customers to really drive growth; and delivering a consistent quality product as a priority – ensuring the best tasting milk reaches consumers.

Avonmore Super Milk has a key role to play in the fresh milk sector, given that we don’t get enough sunshine because of our northerly latitude, we don’t naturally get enough vitamin D, which is a real issue when it comes to bone health, particularly in the early years. Avonmore Super Milk is positioned as a good source of vitamin D given that it has 100% of the recommended intake of Vitamin D in a glass.

Avonmore Protein Milk is a significant part of the brand’s success story in value added dairy. Avonmore Pro-Oats is the newest member to the Avonmore Protein Milk range. Available in a 500ml carton, it contains 27g protein and 23g gluten-free oats and is perfect for those who exercise in the mornings, seek to hit their protein goals, and grab breakfast on-the-go, all in one carton. Pro-Oats has a lovely vanilla flavour with a smooth texture.

Popular with a younger audience, Mooju’s success is built on its quirky brand personality and its fantastic taste

Mooju flavoured milk is another successful brand in the portfolio. Popular with a younger audience, success is built on its quirky brand personality and its fantastic taste. Avonmore Slimline Milk with added iron and vitamins meets the nutritional needs for those looking for a 0% fat option. Avonmore Lactose Free completes the value-added milks portfolio ensuring quality, taste and nutrition for all ages and stages of life.

Meanwhile, Avonmore Cream continues to perform well and is a must stock for family gatherings at Easter time. Avonmore Fresh Cream, Double Cream and Light Cream are now available in Tetra Top packaging, which contains 62% less plastic than the previous bottles and uses paperboard from responsibly managed forests and other controlled sources where new forest growth replaces harvested trees.

Ultimate gut healthy snack

Glenilen Farm Kefir is available in both a 350g pot and 4 x 125g formats

Glenilen Farm Kefir is made on Alan and Valerie Kingston’s farm in Drimoleague, West Cork.

The Kingston’s brand is proving key to the growing yoghurt gut health sub-category. Available in both a 350g pot and 4 x 125g formats, it is the ultimate gut healthy snack for consumers looking to nourish their gut.

Glenilen Farm Kefir is made by adding a carefully selected combination of 14 kefir cultures. These kefir cultures give the yoghurt the typical kefir flavour.

The West Cork brand’s Kefir yoghurts can help create an environment where an individual’s body as a whole may feel better both physically and mentally when combined with exercise, a fibre rich diet, reduced refined or processed food intake, adequate sleep and by managing stress.

Chose Glenilen Farm’s Kefir range for your FDP category, providing your consumers the perfect gut friendly daily dose of goodness.

Available in Natural, Passion Fruit, Raspberry and Vanilla varieties.

Ready when you are!

Based in Donegal, Nomadic makes nourishing convenience food for people who need to get the job done. Now in its 25th year, Nomadic has been supporting busy people on the move with a range of great tasting and convenient products.

The brand has a range of product solutions for different convenience needs:

Nomadic Yogurt & Oat Clusters

The brand’s best-selling products, these combine nourishing yogurt, crunchy oat clusters and delicious fruit or chocolate. With a spoon included, they are a perfect on-the-go breakfast or snack. Available in four flavours.

Nomadic Protein+ Granola Immune Support

Delicious yogurt and granola pots boosted with added health benefits, each pot contains 100% of an individual’s daily vitamin D, 18g protein and gut-friendly cultures. With a spoon included, it’s perfect to enjoy on-the-go. Available in two great tasting flavours.

Nomadic Breakfast Oats

A tasty and healthy way to start the day, this product offers delicious oats soaked in Nomadic’s nourishing yogurt combined with vanilla, raspberry, or blueberry.

Nomadic Protein Puddings

These indulgent protein packed puddings are a perfect snack any time of the day. With 20g of protein in each pot, they are also low in fat and contain no added sugar.

From strength to strength

The Lindahls Pro+ range has a unique 50:50 mix of whey protein and casein protein

Lindahls continues to go from strength to strength in Ireland, growing a whopping +87.2% year-on-year (YOY)*

Lindahls’ broad range of products consists of its core 150g Kvarg pots which contain 15g protein and are available in seven delicious flavours. Lindahls Kvarg pots have a thick and smooth texture; ideal to be consumed by themselves, topped with fruit or granola, and are a great addition to many recipes, making them extremely versatile and perfect for every occasion.

As well as its 150g Kvarg offering, the brand has also entered the ‘big pot’ category and launched 500g Kvarg in two of its most popular flavours: Raspberry and White Chocolate. These large format pots have a generous 53g of protein per pot, are fat free and low in sugar.

Alongside the core Kvarg range, Lindahls has also introduced a Pro+ range which is targeted towards avid gym-goers looking to up their protein intake. The Pro+ range has a unique 50:50 mix of whey protein and casein protein, and comes in tasty flavours such as Lemon Cheesecake and Banoffee Pie. Lindahls Pro+ range is available in convenient 150g pots which contain 18g of protein per serving.

The brand is also disrupting the world of desserts, with the launch of a range of Protein Puddings available in indulgent Chocolate and Salted Caramel flavours, these smooth, tasty desserts pack in 14g of protein per 140g pot and are low in both fat and sugar.

Lindahls continues to put a great emphasis on innovation in order to provide great tasting, high protein products in a variety of versatile formats to its consumers.

You can find out more on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok.

*(Source: 52 w/e 06/11/2022 Value Sales, Nielsen Multiples Ireland)

*(It is important to have a varied diet as part of a healthy lifestyle)

*(Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass)

Decarbonising Irish food systems through the circular economy

By Artur Dannenberg, key account director, UK and Ireland, Tetra Pak

By Artur Dannenberg, key account director, UK and Ireland, Tetra Pak

Prioritising the circular economy is an important measure for improving the resilience of food systems, both in Ireland, and right across the globe. Many macroeconomic and social factors today threaten the security and safety of food, from pandemics to political instability. Only through careful consideration of materials and further industry innovation and collaboration on recycling infrastructure, can we hope to improve food access and security.

Improving supply chain processes ensures food is safe and available to all. However, this cannot be at the expense of the environment, and considerations must be made about wastefulness in any given food system. Without robust commitments, food producers and manufacturers only risk exacerbating issues.

One way to lessen the environmental impact of food systems is the adoption of a low-carbon circular economy. This requires collaboration from everyone involved in the food production process to consider the environmental impact of each raw material used throughout the value chain; push for recycling processes that can separate and reuse materials; and for innovation in packaging and food production.

Keeping food fresh and safe

According to the EPA, as much as 800,000 tonnes of food is wasted in Ireland every year, from both consumers and in the manufacturing process. This not only contributes to greenhouse emissions – as much as 10% annually – but also compounds the pressures placed on struggling food systems.

Food packaging and processing technologies play an essential role in maintaining the resiliency of food systems today, to preserve and protect food and drink. For example, through the development of aseptic technologies, perishable food can be made shelf stable and keep dairy, juice and plant-based products safe and flavourful for 6 to 12 months, allowing them to maintain quality and nutritional value without the need for cooling or preservatives. Packaging such as this is especially crucial to ensuring food and drink remains available and safe to consume.

However, further innovation around keeping food safe and fresh is needed. Ireland is well placed to play a leading role regarding shelf life, reducing wastage, and limiting the energy needed to grow, package and transport goods.

Improving recycling

Recycling is amongst the most important factors effecting the success of the circular economy today.

Having consistent recycling infrastructure and processes that are easily understood and accessible by consumers, can help to improve overall recycling rates, reducing the need for the constant creation of new materials for packaging, at the cost of the environment.

Ireland currently suffers from some significant infrastructure deficits, particularly in the recycling of paper, cardboard and plastics. As such, stronger collaboration amongst consumers, businesses and government, is needed to make improvements and increase education. Meaningful partnerships must take shape to create mutually beneficial networks that function effectively for all.

Looking ahead

Improving the resilience of food systems, while reducing the environmental burden of packaging and production, requires everyone to play a role in supporting a circular economy for Ireland.

Materials and production processes must be selected with sustainability in mind, and innovation in packaging and processing must limit unnecessary waste.

Recognising Ireland’s primary food producers

The National Dairy Council (NDC) is delighted to announce sponsorship of the Outstanding Contribution to Food Production award at this year’s Good Food Ireland Awards which will be held in April.

As Margaret Jeffares, founder and managing director of Good Food Ireland explained: “This honorary award from Good Food Ireland is to recognise and celebrate the thousands of farmers all over Ireland that provide the primary ingredients for what we eat and drink every day…the unsung heroes of our food industry.”

Now returning for the first time since pre-Covid, the highly coveted Good Food Ireland Awards will take place on Monday, 17 April at The K Club, County Kildare. The high-profile business lunch will be opened by guest of honour, Simon Coveney, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, and attended by some 300 guests including business owners, Irish and international chefs, buyers, food and drink writers, media and industry leaders.

“Now, more than ever, it is important to show all the hard work and innovation that is happening within the Irish farming industry,” added Zoë Kavanagh, CEO of the National Dairy Council.

The awards are proudly sponsored by the National Dairy Council, Kerrygold, Irish Farmers Association, Tourism Ireland and Bord Bia. For full details on the individual awards, tickets to the event, and general information about Good Food Ireland, visit goodfoodireland.ie.

For further information on NDC, visit www.ndc.ie.

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