As milk alternatives made from almonds, coconut and some other decidedly non-dairy sources increase in popularity, dairy milk sales continue on a downward spiral.
Ice cream sales have been ticking up, showing some promise in the ever-competitive category. Sales of frozen novelties, meanwhile, have not been faring as well. Unit sales have been falling, and dollar sales have been nearly frozen.
Natural cheese sales have been steady for subcategories such as slices and shreds, but others (crumbles, chunks) are struggling. Meanwhile, cheese spreads/balls saw a sales boost in the processed cheese category.
Don't get distracted by the headlines in 2018. The renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement and the U.S.-Korea free trade agreement will demand a lot of attention, but assuming neither of them is wiped off the board completely, growing milk supplies in the other major exporting countries will create the headwind for U.S. exports.
You’ll find no signs of a cool-down for the red-hot refrigerated coffee and tea segment. Refrigerated ready-to-drink (RTD) coffee and refrigerated tea both saw significant dollar and unit sales gains during the 52 weeks ending July 9, 2017, according to data from Chicago-based market research firm Information Resources Inc. (IRI).
Competing in the frozen dessert market can be tough, even more so during a time when so many consumers are paying close attention to labels and their food choices. Consumers are cutting back on desserts, choosing healthier options or reaching for ice cream when they want to indulge.
Dollar and unit sales for the ice cream category were looking good as numbers ticked up. Some frozen novelties also enjoyed a sales boost, but many struggled. Meanwhile, sales dropped for sherbet, sorbet and frozen dairy desserts.
With Danone acquiring WhiteWave, the new dairy processing company lands at No. 4 on our 24th annual Dairy 100. This detailed dossier includes brands, products made and plant locations for the largest processors of fluid milk, ice cream, cheese, butter, cultured dairy products, dairy ingredients and other dairy-derived foods and beverages.
The state of North America’s dairy industry is constantly in motion. Since our last report, dairies have been on an acquisition spree. And the deals kept happening even after we finished tabulating the 2016 revenues of the 100 largest dairy processing companies based in Canada, the United States and Mexico.
As noted in the nondairy beverage article in our May issue, consumers are seeking functional and no-sugar-added options for beverages — and some juice segments are taking a hit in sales because of it. Sales are down in orange, apple and juice/drink smoothies segments, but ticking up in refrigerated lemonade, fruit drinks and vegetable juice blends.
Consumers are looking for beverages with no added sugar, and functional and clean ingredients. This has presented challenges for some juice manufacturers.
As consumers demand more better-for-you products, experts note that the juice and juice drinks category has been challenged in a unique way and struggled to maintain its share of the beverage market.