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The "one armed bandit" brought some good news and some bad news to the ice cream and frozen novelty segment in the past year. The good news? Frozen novelties saw a pretty payout, with dollar sales rising 4.2% to $4,906.3 million during the 52 weeks ending Aug. 11, 2019, according to data from Chicago-based market research firm IRI.

The era of Greek yogurt cashing in big payouts has ended: The yogurt category has leveled off since the international style's introduction to the U.S. market over a decade ago.

Cheese has the advantage, you might say, as U.S consumers' love affair with it continues to flourish.

At first glance, it seems that milk hasn't been dealt the best hand. But the beverage isn't considering folding: While purchasing numbers have declined in recent years, it's still present in 91% of American households, according to the September 2019 "Eating Trends: Meat, Dairy, Vegetarian, and Vegan" report from the Packaged Facts division of Rockville, Md.-based MarketResearch.com.

The trend toward convenient grab-and-go offerings shows no signs of waning. And that reality has been good news for the ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee and tea segment.

There have been some interesting shifts in the global trade of dairy products that aren't apparent on the surface. Chinese milk-equivalent import growth slowed from 13% in the first quarter of 2019 to an estimated 1.7% in the second quarter.

As U.S. consumers gravitate toward better-for-you choices, indulgent categories such as frozen desserts are losing some steam. According to data from IRI, a Chicago-based research firm, in the 52-week period ending June 16, 2019, dollar sales in the frozen desserts/toppings category fell 2.8% to $663.2 million.

The past year brought challenges to many North American dairy processors, from tariffs threatening export sales to a growing array of dairy alternatives squeezing limited shelf space. Some dairy processors fared better than others when it came to addressing those challenges.

Ice cream is big business in the United States. According to the Washington, D.C.-based International Dairy Foods Association, it is an $11 billion industry that supports 26,000 direct jobs and generates $1.6 billion in direct wages.

Juice's long-standing reputation as a healthy drink has come across some problems as American consumers look to reduce their sugar intake.