Puhoi Valley is well known for its range of specialty cheese products in supermarkets and at the 2016 NZ Champions of Cheese awards Puhoi Valley took home 28 awards across the range of retail and foodservice products. This included the Countdown Champion of Champions Award for the Puhoi Valley Kawau Blue Gorgonzola style – a feisty, strong blue with a moist soft and creamy texture, made in the style of traditional Italian gorgonzola.
Two other products in the range also earned the Category Champion Award, including the Puhoi Valley Fresh Goat’s Cheese and the Matured Washed Rind from our Puhoi Valley Cellar Range for foodservice.
Brand Manager Jennette Thorne explains: “The Specialty Cheese category has been consistently growing over the last four years. Puhoi Valley is one of the category leaders driven by strength in the Feta and White moulded ranges.”
Puhoi Valley Cheeses are handcrafted at the site in the upper reaches of the picturesque Puhoi Valley where cheeses have been made since 1983. From humble beginnings as a small manufacturing plant built to convert goats’ milk into ice cream powder and camembert, it wasn’t long before the factory diversified into making cheese from cows’ milk and broadened the product range to include feta. The Puhoi Valley Cheese Company has expanded to now bring premium cheeses to all New Zealanders including camembert, brie, feta, blue and other European style products such as ricotta, crème fraiche and mascarpone.
At Puhoi Valley the indulgent food reflects the belief that food made with care, to taste good, feeds the body and lifts the spirits. For more information visit www.puhoivalley.co.nz.
Meadow Fresh is changing for the good
Katherine Jensen, Marketing Manager Dairy at Goodman Fielder, told FMCG Business: “We know consumers are looking for more natural products that are less processed and we are listening. Here at Meadow Fresh, we’re changing the way we make our milk.
“Introducing Meadow Fresh milk with no added permeate – less processed, richer, naturally creamier taste and a little closer to nature. Try it today, and taste the difference!”
Most standard milk has permeate (a natural by-product of milk) added, reducing the amount of protein in the milk, standardising the taste. Milk with no added permeate has natural levels of protein and calcium levels with a richer, creamier texture. While there may be some fluctuations throughout the year, these reflect natural seasonal changes.
Meadow Fresh milk also has a new look on the outside with a new sleek jug-shaped bottle with handy measuring guide on side of pack.
Less processed, more goodness.
Yoplait
Yoghurt is one of the most highly innovated categories in the supermarket, with 108 new products launched in the last 12 months (Source: Aztec, NZ Grocery, MAT to 25/9/16).
Glenn Palmer, Lion Dairy & Drinks Country Manager, says: “Yoplait is the second largest yoghurt brand in the New Zealand market with 19% share (based on dollar sales – Source: Aztec, NZ Grocery, MAT to 25/9/16).
“Yoplait is the leading Greek style yoghurt in New Zealand and has this year introduced two new flavours to the 1kg range, Blueberry & Vanilla (based on dollar sales – Source: Aztec dollar sales MAT to 25/9/16).”
Palmer explains: “Yoplait has a proven track record working together with retailers to successfully launch new products, with all seven new products launched in the last 12 months in the top 20 new product based on dollar sales for the latest quarter (Source: Aztec, NZ Grocery, Quarter to 25/9/16).”
Palmer adds: “Pouches are a key growth area in the yoghurt category, with 54% of all kids yoghurt sold in a pouch format. Kids pouch sales are up 87% vs last year (based on dollar sales – Source: Aztec, NZ Grocery, MAT to 25/9/16).
“Yoplait Petit Miam is excited to announce we are launching kids’ yoghurt pouches, with a fun range of veggie and fruit flavours – perfect for sneaking more vegetables into your kids’ diet! These will launch in stores on 31 October 2016 with flavours including Beetroot & Strawberry, Sweet Potato & Pear and Pumpkin & Apple!”
Barrys Bay Cheese
Akaroa-based Barrys Bay Cheese has recently launched a Cacao Nib Havarti and Wakame Kelp Havarti.
Sales & Marketing Manager Kelsey Lovett says: “Keep your eyes peeled for some new Barrys Bay Cheese selection boxes! Consumers are always looking for something new and exciting for a cheese board.”
Whitestone Cheese Co
Whitestone Cheese Co produces delightful New Zealand cheeses and butter, which are available in supermarkets.
Among new products recently launched is Lindis Pass Camembert. This cheese was “well received, with plenty of growth being experienced so we have increased production,” says Simon Berry, CEO.
Berry told FMCG Business that the company is planning to launch an Aged Gruyere style, plus a series still in NPD phase.
The consumer trends in this category, according to Berry, include stronger flavours being appreciated and the NZ cheese consumer palate becoming more sophisticated.
Biofarm
Biofarm yoghurt was the first organic product on New Zealand supermarket shelves and is the original pouring yoghurt, so it is something of a milestone that founding owners Cathy and Jamie Tait-Jamieson are celebrating 30 years in the market. This of course is mostly thanks to the fantastic support they have had from loyal customers throughout the country who have preferred a probiotic, organic yoghurt with no added sugar. They continue to be owner operators on the family farm in Palmerston North where they milk 100 cows and process the milk into yoghurt on the farm every day. Only fresh milk is used, no milk powder or added cream, and all ingredients are certified organic.
Brands supplied to market are Biofarm Yoghurt, 1 litre pourables, EcoFarm, organic whole pasteurised (non-homogenised) milk in 650g pouch, and they are also the NZ Distributor for the Organic Times branded Organic Butters. The youngest product in the Biofarm stable, the 1-litre pourable Wild Apple yoghurt was a finalist in the 2014 Food Awards and has been seeing steady growth in the market.
Biofarm is undertaking a programme of in-store demos to continue to promote this flavour (the most delicious in their range) over the summer months into 2017.
Succession is in the forefront of the Tait-Jamieson’s minds and with family members growing back into the business, an expanded range of products is planned for the future. They look forward to another 30 years of growing organically in the NZ market.
Two new innovations for EasiYo!
After the success of the Limited Edition Blue Yogurt Maker, EasiYo has just launched two new Greek flavours; Raspberry & Lemon and Mango with Coconut Bits, which are already becoming fan favourites.
Simon Grimaldi, Brand Manager for EasiYo says: “In order to drive homemade yogurt category growth, we are constantly looking for ways to improve our products and create new experiences. We want to make sure that we introduce innovations we know our fans will love. That is why we always involve our community in our decision-making process”.
Last April, EasiYo did a survey on social media and asked its 40,000 fans which flavours they would like to try. They have developed some of them and invited consumers to try them and give their feedback, which is proving to be a good way to leverage their community and ensure a successful launch.
“EasiYo is an iconic brand in NZ and has been part of many Kiwis’ childhoods. We are lucky to have a special link with Kiwis and that is definitely one of the reason why we have more than 70% market share of the category in New-Zealand,” says Grimaldi. Created in 1992 in Auckland, EasiYo Homemade Yogurt is now established in one in five Kiwi households!
“EasiYo Yogurt doesn’t contain any artificial ingredients and because you make it yourself, you get to enjoy fresh live cultures from day 1. A healthy dessert or breakfast option for the whole family,” says Grimaldi.
For more information and to view the full EasiYo range, visit www.easiyo.com
Fonterra reduces sugar content in kids’ yoghurt
“Fonterra’s Anchor Uno now contains the lowest levels of sugar (per 100 grams) in any kids’ yoghurt brand in New Zealand, with 40% less sugar than the original Uno formulation, says Anchor Cultured Brand Manager Nicola Carroll.”
She says: “Anchor is committed to continuously improving its product portfolio to reduce the use of added sugars without compromising the quality, taste and texture of the product.
“We are always working on our product formulations, fine-tuning, reviewing and improving our products, prioritising ones that deliver the goodness of dairy nutrition to kids.”
This fine tuning has meant Anchor Uno has removed the sugar from the yoghurt base and now only includes added sugar through the fruit preparation. A 40% reduction in sugar was achieved with no artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners.
“Extensive sensory research shows the new formulation is equally or more preferred than the previous recipe. Anchor Uno is the market leader with 52% share in the kids’ yoghurt segment,” says Carroll.
Fonterra GM Nutrition Angela Rowan says Anchor understands the importance of delivering high quality dairy nutrition to consumers, particularly children. “Anchor Uno is a great example of our commitment to nutrition – providing the goodness of dairy with less added sugars, in line with recommendations from public health authorities such as the World Health Organisation.”
