CATEGORY MANAGEMENT | DAIRY
“Yogurt can deliver what consumers want at breakfast,” Strandlund said, including convenience, health and taste. “Yogurt, and especially Greek yogurt, also are poised to capitalize on the GLP-1 momentum.” Many shoppers are willing to pay more for selections with attractive attributes as well, he said. That includes Icelandic yogurt, also known as Skyr, which is almost 45% more expensive than tradi- tional Greek yogurt, and had a dollar sales increase of more than 25% over the last year, Strandlund said. Icelandic yogurt has more protein and often less fat than Greek yogurt, he said. A SNACK ATTACK Cottage cheese is benefiting from the strong base of snackers who are seek- ing options with nutritional value, natural ingredients and functional bene- fits, Strandlund said. NielsenIQ research found that millennials (persons born between 1981 and 1996) and Gen X shop- pers (persons born between 1965 and 1980) more often choose cottage cheese as a snack, while there is a gap with Gen Z consumers (persons born between 1997 and 2012). “Building a reputation with the youngest generation will be pivotal to maintaining this momentum,” he said. Premium butter also is a fast-growing category with product dollar sales, includ- ing selections with organic and grass-fed claims and such ingredients as olive oil and sea salt, up more than 20% over the last year, Strandlund said. “Retailers should not shy away from premium assortments in dairy despite economic headwinds,” he said. “Customers continue to pay more for health-forward attributes like high protein and GLP-1 friendly, as well as simple and natural ingredients. Ensure there is an available assortment of these items for customers to continue to trade into.” A greater shopper demand for Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, milk and cheese, and a strong interest in products with clean ingredients, such as real dairy cream, is occurring at SpartanNash Co. stores, said Brandon Pasch, SpartanNash
Retailers are expanding their assortments of dairy products with health claims.
“Customers continue to pay more for health-forward attributes like high protein and GLP-1 friendly, as well as simple and natural ingredients. Ensure there is an available assortment of these items for customers to continue to trade into.”
–Tim Strandlund, NielsonIQ
32 SUPERMARKETNEWS.COM SPRING 2026
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