Websterville, Vt.-based Vermont Creamery says it introduced the brand’s first cultured sour cream — available in dairy cases September 2021.
“The last 15 months generated consumer demand for new taste experiences and the desire to shake things up from the norm,” says Adeline Druart, president of Vermont Creamery. “Our cultured sour [cream] reinvents a beloved staple into a more luxurious offering, setting the new high bar for a rich and velvety sour cream experience. With 22% milkfat — as compared to 18% in regular sour cream — and the same blend of cultures as our award-winning crème fraîche, Vermont Creamery has once again delivered on its promise to make dairy that tastes better because it's made better.”
The culinary team at Vermont Creamery was intent on developing flavors that would elevate consumers’ experience beyond a mellow dip, leaning into robust condiments and high-quality standalone ingredients to fill the gap. Taking inspiration from slow smoking, charcoal cookery and fire roasting with different woods and preparations, the team developed hundreds of flavor concepts before narrowing the field. The team tested the best concepts on a variety of foods and selected two finalists in addition to its plain variety, Vermont Creamery says.
According to the company, the new flavors were designed around complementing Latin-inspired food and potatoes. Specifically, Cilantro Lime is an ideal pairing for spicy dishes, delivering a cool and refreshing counterpoint to the heat in tacos, chili and cheesy quesadillas with hot sauce. It may be used as a topping or as a base to build a dipping sidekick for favorite dishes. Fire Roasted Onion & Chive embodies a savory sweetness, with smokey and roasted notes that are the perfect complement to loaded potatoes, crinkle chips, chilis and stews. And the Crème-Style Classic is anything but plain, with a rich, velvety texture, cultured notes and just the right amount of tang for pairing with traditional favorites.
Vermont Creamery says the cultured sour cream will first launch in the Northeast. The launch program will include social media initiatives to drive awareness with videos, influencer seeding and a virtual tasting event, in addition to in-store displays and post engagement programs.
“Premium food is on-trend because consumers want to eat something they believe in,” shares Kate Paine, director of marketing. “We feel these next-generation ‘2.0 flavors’ are approachable, but elevated and have no competition in today’s marketplace. Our sour cream, obsessively created with heart and soul using simple ingredients, time and craftsmanship, gives people the opportunity to finally love a sour cream worth loving.”
