Germany's dairy industry continues to expand its range of products

The German dairy industry is once more provided ample proof of its innovative power and competitive capability. With around 300 innovations to milk and dairy products, dairy manufacturers reaffirmed the creative potential they possess.

Aside from introducing wholly novel products (i.e. products with new names and made using entirely new recipes), much effort has gone into finding ingenious packaging solutions, for which purpose manufacturers have focused closely on the specific desires of the various consumer groups. As the number of single households increases, for instance, manufacturers are putting more and more emphasis on re-sealable packaging. Indeed, convenience packaging of all kind is playing an increasingly important role.
Dairy manufacturers specialising in self-service products, such as hard, firm and soft cheeses, have proved especially inventive with increases of almost 30 percent. The biggest chunk of this increase is attributable to the product category of soft cheeses, to which 22 new products were introduced.

Dairy manufacturers have again invested in expanding the range of yoghurt and whey drinks, with a total of 15 novel products introduced to the market. Delicatessen products present a similarly positive picture, with the introduction of 15 new products signifying an increase of 25 percent.
In the segment for "white” products, innovations were again centred around products which offer consumers some kind of additional benefit. Developments were marked by a focus on tastiness on the one hand and health aspects on the other. In a nutshell, the recipe for success was: a lot of fruit, seasonal variations in flavour and creaminess for delicious taste, and as low in fat as possible.

The probiotic milk products segment also continues to grow, though not as spectacularly as when these products were first introduced to the market. Health-promoting drinkable dairy products such as aloe vera or breakfast drinks continue to prosper because they meet the needs of consumers. This trend is supported by modern bottle-shaped packaging the design of which fits the target group as well as being convenient because of their shape, size, and the ability to shut them after opening.

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Advertising expenditure for dairy products

Dairy products come second in the ranking for the most intensively promoted foodstuffs:

1. Chocolate, sweets
2. All milk products
3. Processed foods
4. Preserves/meat/fish
5. Soups/spices/sauces
6. Deep frozen foods
7. Margarines and oils
8. Bread and biscuits
9. Ice cream
10. Spreads
11. Diet
12. Fruit and vegetables

Source: Nielsen, Milk Marketing

Gross advertising expenditure for Yellow Line products increased by 23 %; White Line products saw an increase of 3 %.