The cultured dairy segment is seeing its ups and downs. Yogurt, once the driving force, has seen sales struggle of late. Concurrently, other cultured categories such as cream cheese and sour cream are holding their ground or trying to push ahead.

According to "The Yogurt Market and Yogurt Innovation, 3rd edition," a January report from the Packaged Facts division of Rockville, Md.-based MarketResearch.com, U.S. retail yogurt sales reached almost $9 billion in 2017. Sales of the creamy cultured dairy product increased at a compound annual growth rate of 2% between 2012 and 2017.

While yogurt sales increased a bit; those of other cultured dairy products, like yogurt drinks, kefir and cottage cheese, are seeing greater sales growth.

A study from DSM Food Specialties reports that over the last three years more than half of the respondents to a survey have increased their yogurt consumption. The increased appetite is led by markets like China, Brazil and Turkey.