The Untapped Potential of Dairy's Natural Colour in Branding
Colour is a crucial sensory cue that shapes consumer expectations of food and beverage products. Research has shown that the colour of a product can significantly impact consumer perceptions and determine a product's success in the market. In the dairy industry, natural colours are often associated with quality and minimal processing, which helps maintain a healthful image.
Despite this, many dairy brands have not fully exploited the potential of natural colour to promote their products. For instance, butter is often marketed based on ingredients and origin rather than its rich golden hue, which indicates grass-fed origins and a fuller flavour profile. The Irish butter brand Kerrygold, however, uses its butter's intense yellow hue to emphasize its premium quality and provenance.
Similarly, the resurgence of Jersey cow's milk in the UK has been associated with its traditional cream-on-top experience. Brands are using terms like 'gold top' to signal provenance, but descriptors such as 'naturally ivory' could further enhance the perception of premium quality. In the cheese segment, many hard cheeses use annatto for bolder hues, while others remain naturally paler. Highlighting these natural colour properties could help differentiate products and align them with consumer expectations of naturalness.
The potential for using colour extends to other dairy segments, such as crème fraiche and double cream. These products could benefit from marketing strategies that emphasize their natural colour attributes, potentially encouraging consumers to appreciate their richness and creaminess.
Overall, better communication of dairy's natural colour properties could elevate consumer perceptions, enhance perceived quality, and support the premium positioning of these products in the market.
