Yoplait claims leadership in France’s skyr market and speeds innovation

French dairy cooperative Sodiaal said its Yoplait brand held between 41% and 44% of skyr sales by volume across major retail channels in France. The figure gives Yoplait the largest position in the segment, while 59% of consumers reportedly buy the brand’s skyr range again. Sodiaal identifies the line as the main source of growth within Yoplait’s fresh-dairy portfolio.

Skyr is a strained dairy product associated with Iceland. Its production uses about 2.5 times as much milk as conventional yoghurt to obtain its thick texture and nutritional profile. Yoplait’s products provide between 7.8g and 9.3g of naturally occurring dairy protein per 100g serving. The range is marketed within a wider shift in demand towards high-protein, low-fat and clean-label foods.

Yoplait is broadening the range beyond large plain tubs as it competes with private-label products and international dairy companies. Newer formats include stirred fruit recipes, twin-packs with fruit at the bottom, vitamin-enriched products and gourmet variants. The company is targeting different eating occasions, including snacks and cooking, in addition to breakfast.

The brand has also changed the material used for some packaging. Its 100g skyr pots contain 50% ISCC PLUS-certified recycled plastic, allocated through a mass-balance system. Sodiaal combines that material with milk sourced from its cooperative members in France, describing both elements as part of Yoplait’s environmental and corporate-responsibility positioning in supermarkets and hypermarkets.

The skyr strategy forms part of Sodiaal’s broader approach since it regained full operational control of Yoplait’s European assets. The cooperative has directed milk towards specialised fresh-dairy products rather than lower-margin commodity lines. Sodiaal presents skyr as a higher-value outlet for milk supplied by its farmer members.

Yoplait’s expansion comes as the European spoonable-dairy market moves towards more premium products, according to the report. Sodiaal is using marketing, recipe development and product segmentation alongside the brand’s cooperative ownership and French milk sourcing.