September 17, 2025 – Stepping out from tradition can present challenges, and for yogurt, it is no different. Demand for better for you and staying in pace with trends in health are defining the yogurt and yogurt drinks space. Various claims, positioning, and innovation are driving change in a crowded space that is growing. While inflation is creating an opening for yogurt to compete with animal-based protein and other niche protein products that tend to have higher price tags and may become out of budget for some consumers in the relatively near future. Innova Market Insights takes a comprehensive look at how brands will adapt to obstacles and the speed of these developments.
What Opportunities Exist for Yogurt?
Yogurt is convenient, making it suitable for consumption at any time of day. It can stand alone or complement other foods, and it serves as a great ingredient, replacing items that are higher in fat without compromising on texture or taste. The minimal differences in consumption patterns and interest among age groups also enhance the wide appeal of yogurt. Although men consume less yogurt than women, they are increasing their intake at a faster rate, presenting a key opportunity for brands to target. Men are also likely to be more inclined to consume yogurt around workouts, but overall consumption remains low, reflecting evolving yogurt trends.
New flavors, both indulgent and better for you are becoming important. In a crowded grocery store yogurt aisle, standing out can be a significant challenge. Brands must therefore be present in consumers’ minds and shopping lists before they head to the store, as many shoppers may not take the time to read every label or examine every package. Key health claims should be prominently displayed on the packaging, but they should not be the sole focus of messaging. Engaging younger consumers through social media trends related to food, nutrition, and fitness can be highly effective.
Where Does Yogurt Fit in the Daily Diet?
Chances are that yogurt and yogurt drinks can find their place in the daily diet during the morning. Even more so if they include on-the-go messaging, especially for consumers who might not have lots of time for a morning snack. Around midday, however, that is when yogurt becomes part of the meal rather than the main star, where it is considered as a booster of nutrition and energy. With that in mind, positioning indulgent yogurt flavors as an evening dessert or snack can be a positive and nutritional way to finish the day.
It is clear that if grasped, these opportunities are going to yield dividends. This is largely due to the placement of yogurt as a simple and effective daily food for any time of the day. But what is even more interesting is the play of introducing yogurt as an ingredient and not just as a moment. The ability of this category to become a staple is evident in the way it can replace oils or fats in dishes, and be integrated into main course recipes.
Are Consumer Preferences Part of this Transition?
For consumers, yogurt’s halo does not shine brighter than other dairy options. Even with the presence of yogurt as good for your health and is high in protein, other dairy products, such as cheese, perform better despite not being well known for having health properties. The reason for this is that cheese offers lessons about flavor and enjoyment in addition to versatility. Serving as a snack and an ingredient, or an appetizer and a supporting component of a meal. Even if better for you claims have made yogurt popular in recent years, it will take more to improve taste, texture, and flavor, signaling an important area for future yogurt trends.
If yogurt can break into the daily consumption routines of consumers, then doing so would be phenomenal, especially without sacrificing any form of flavor or toppings. Positioning yogurt as a meal or snack that can be done, yes, but as drinkable options bring on-the-go mentality with the same message, then that might just be the ticket. Further results in this report suggest that while men and women look to yogurt for a boost of protein, tying that to routine activities such as exercise can help yogurt hold a greater presence for men in particular. While typical protein drinks boast high protein, yogurt has benefits such as probiotics that might be missing in other products. So yogurt can be a go-to for a specific need, saving consumers time and effort when trying to eat healthier.
Can Meals and Snacks Both Hold Relevance for Yogurt Growth?
Snacking is fundamental to yogurt consumption, while also representing an opportunity for growth, given the role snacking plays in the modern diet. 41% of consumers snack more than two times a day. When it comes to meals, though, that is a different story where opportunity exists for nutrition boosting properties in meals without much effort at times convenient to consumers.
As for age groups that seek out yogurt and yogurt drinks, Millennials are less likely to be eating yogurt every day, but do outpace other generations when it comes to work or school snackers. Drinkable options can be a winner here, as might packaging that includes utensils to meet the convenience desired. Nutrition and health will be a big part of what happens next with yogurt’s positioning, with yogurt trends shaping how brands respond. As a healthy food choice, it has proven successful with protein popping up in food and beverages, from water to popcorn to cookies. This suggests that yogurt has a lot of competition on the high protein and better for you front. Across many categories, it is no surprise that flavor still drives consumers and it is the same for yogurt, making it a must-have for brands.
The sweet spot yogurt occupies is a balance between good flavor and better for you claims, though flavor ultimately wins as consumers choose between brands. Indulgent flavors can attract consumers to yogurt brands, but they will need to deliver on excellence and stay true to flavor.
Will Yogurt Continue to Be a Staple?
Based on findings from this report, it would seem that yogurt has fallen off as a staple food with younger generations at least. Patterns toward taste and healthfulness have had an influence, and in order to bring yogurt back to staple status, it will have to compete with the competition from other better for you products. This reality is largely down to the wide range of products on the market of late, with so many high protein, gut-healthy claims, even if competition is still stiff. It is not all doom and gloom though, as Generation Z has been found to associate happiness with yogurt, more so than older generations.
Yogurt still has consistent levels of consumption, and that would suggest that the level of products available is pleasing consumers. While men and Generation Z may become the targets for brands due to their potential for increased intake, it should be said that in general, fitness nutrition will help fuel yogurt’s success in addition to more lifestyle claims and convenience. Current yogurt trends show that messaging must evolve alongside the changing needs of families and definitions of health to keep yogurt relevant long term, as a decrease in consumption of products would be reflected due to the changing needs of the individual and household.
What’s Next for Yogurt and Yogurt Drinks in the US?
As with many other categories, rising costs provide yogurt brands with new opportunities. The competitive landscape for yogurt now includes new categories, particularly as protein claims have become more widespread. The emergence of health-focused claims across various categories is becoming more and more significant, moving beyond traditional yogurt claims that were once so familiar. So, as yogurt enters the exercise and performance nutrition markets, it is clear that innovations in new flavors, both indulgent and healthier options, are essential for growth.
As for the market, moderate growth over the past four years indicates maturity within and overall the yogurt market is experiencing inflation. Since yogurt is positioned as an affordable food source and a reliable source of protein, future growth is expected to continue along these current yogurt trends rather than diverge from them.
This article is based on Innova’s Yogurt & Yogurt Drinks in the US report. This report is available to purchase or with an Innova Reports subscription. Reach out to find out more