How Danone’s yogurt uses consumer demand for ‘benefit stacking’

The better the health of the food, the better.

While consumers find more products than mitigating hunger, food companies are loading products with benefits such as protein, fiber, low sugar or intestinal health.

Shoppers follow more similar eating habits at any time, and urge the manufacturer to include more things in a single product or to include stacks. This initiative not only provides the recognized additional health benefits, but also allows the company to claim more due to the premium value provided by the company.

Some sectors in the food space benefit from this trend than yogurt.

Danone, the world’s largest yogurt company, has grown the “nutrient density” portfolio, which is located to meet various functional demands. The retention of dairy giant is suitable for oikos, unture & co. of protein and for sugar and lighting for oikos and low calories.

Rafael Acevedo, chairman of Danone North America, talked about the evolution and the role of food diving and trends in the evolution and future of “benefits stacking.” Company’s portfolio. The interviews conducted through emails were edited for simplicity and clarity.

Food Dive: What are you looking at with the 2025 benefit stacking?

RAFAEL ACEVEDO: As we entered in 2025, consumers’ expectations for food and drinks are high and the demand for nutritious food is increasing. In fact, studies have shown that consumers consider food selection as the best driver in relation to health. It even surpasses sleep and health. Consumers know that everyday choices are better in meals and drinking (especially when snacks are at least once a day, 74%of Americans are rising!) In the short term and for the rest of their lives.

As such macro shifts, consumers are looking for products with certain health and functional benefits. We know that spaces such as intestinal health, high quality protein and sugar reduction are now popular. Consumers are building up to maximize the benefits of each food they eat.

I believe this trend will be maintained in 2025. For example, we understand the needs of consumers in light of other health and exercise. – Rising weight loss drugs.

Why do we see jumping in the benefit stacking?

Acevedo:

• Recognition and education: As access to information on nutrition and health increases, consumers know better about the benefits of specific foods. People are seeing greater connection between the food they eat and the overall health effects.
• Disease prevention: As the perception of the role of dietary therapy in the prevention of disease, consumers switch to functional foods to prevent this related disease, but also prevent this disease. For example, due to the petition submitted by Danone North America, the FDA announced the first qualified health claim for yogurt in 2024 and recognized the potential link between regular consumption and reduction of risk of type 2 diabetes. This is one of the many ways we have used science and research to meet consumers’ needs.
• Ancient population: The number of Americans over 65 is expected to increase. 88 million from 58 million to 2050 by 2022. This increase is increasing the demand for foods that help solve age -related problems such as skin and bone health.

What type of benefits do consumers are trying to build?

Acevedo: More and more consumers want to understand the science of the benefits sold. Danone is good to do that – We design the benefits of the future by utilizing roles in space such as decades of nutritional scientific leadership, nutrient density portfolio and protein, biotechnology and intestinal health. Specifically:

• Zhang health, high protein, low sugar and lifespan are one of the biggest areas for consumers to benefit.
• Specifically, protein is realized with more consumers every day. – Online searches for protein are the highest level for five years.
• Continuous perception of long -term health and how complicated and interconnected in long -term health will allow consumers to pursue products with advantages in 2025.

How did the benefit stacking affect Danone’s product mix?

Acevedo: As one of the most nutritious portfolios in the industry, Danone helps to respond to the demand for certain benefits. Combined with partnerships, education and advocacy, our research and innovation ability and decades of nutritional scientific leadership are helping to design food innovation that meets the needs of consumers today (and tomorrow). We use major technologies and ingredients to provide benefits -oriented solutions to categories such as yogurt, plant -based, coffee or baby nutrition.

For example, our high protein products, especially the OIKOS brand, were able to form and form the future of the protein space expanded only by the increase in the use of GLP-1 drugs. Of Since 2025, we continue to innovate to introduce new products to the mix that meets these trends and consumer demands.

Do you plan to launch a product in 2025 in response to benefits?

Acevedo: yes! In the fourth quarter of 2024, we are the first of this brand. Zero sugar has expanded the zero sugar product line. Zero Sugar is one of the most interesting growth pockets in the current food space. This product was released in 2024, but is expanding to more retailers in 2025.

We will also study the nutritional demands of GLP-1 drug users very closely and explore new products after 2025 to satisfy the user’s needs.