Kerry’s recent “Dairy Without Compromise” virtual event – the third edition of its customer virtual engagements for foodservice, retail and FMCG (or fast-moving consumer goods), aimed to meet the rise of dairy alternatives – focused on customization and flexible sustainable solutions to meet consumer demand for more value, choice and healthier beverages.
Over three live virtual sessions that were held in May, Kerry experts discussed insights on the future around dairy taste and non-dairy beverages, from dairy’s evolution to the history of plant-based milk alternatives and factors driving consumption. A Kerry proprietary plant-based solution was also introduced.
A key highlight of the Kerry virtual engagements included live drink-making demonstrations, showcasing seven tasting samples incorporating Kerry’s functional non-dairy and sustainable dairy solutions with authentic taste. These included Chocolate Oolong Milk Tea, Rooibos Oat Milk Tea, Vegan Oat Latte and Protein Choco Oat. Each attendee – who also received a personal taste box to create the different drinks – got a taste of Kerry Barista Oat Milk and Eco Crème Instant Coffee, a market-leading sustainable creamer.
Globally, 45 percent of dairy beverage value sales are driven by the Asia Pacific region, with health being a key motivator for increasing consumption, according to Kerry. In 2020, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (APMEA) accounted for half of dairy beverages retail volume sales, with Asia expecting to lead the global market with 5.5 percent volume growth (CAGR 2019-2022). With 85 percent of the APMEA population being lactose intolerant, there exists a strong base of plant-based milk consumers in the region ─ this accounts for 60 percent of global dairy alternative value sales being driven by the region. Additionally, plant protein is fast gaining traction with 21 percent in annual growth in F&B launches with plant protein claims.
“With our long dairy heritage and key foundational technologies in taste and nutrition, we aim to be the market leader in dairy taste, a thought leader in beverage, preferred partner in plant-based, and deliver on our vision to provide sustainable nutrition solutions to more than 2 billion people by 2030,” says Daniel Sjogren, vice president and general manager, beverages, Kerry Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa.
The recent “Dairy Without Compromise” followed Kerry’s two previous virtual tasting sessions: Beverages in the New Normal and Caffeine in the East. With 70 percent of its customers seeking digital engagement today, Kerry said it will continue to leverage virtual platforms to collaborate with customers to deliver innovative product for consumers value.
To learn more about Kerry, visit Kerry.com.