Opa! Kraft Ramps Up Athenos Greek Yogurt

Maybe it’s a new twist on comfort food for challenging times, but the biggest hit in the yogurt section of the supermarket these days is full-bodied, full-flavor Greek yogurt.

Brands such as Stonyfield Farm’s Oikos and 3 Greek Gods, now owned by Hain Celestial, have been trying to meet booming demand for tasty Greek-style yogurt, which is thicker, creamier and generally higher in protein and, often, fat than regular yogurt. Pioneering brands such as the imported Fage yogurt are now being joined by mainstream CPG players, who are eager to meet the growing American demand for Greek yogurt.

Kraft plans to expand its Athenos brand of hummus and other Mediterranean fare to include Greek yogurt nationwide in January. Athenos Greek yogurt is available in select US markets now, in response to demand from some 85,000 Facebook fans.

“Two years ago, if you described this as a niche, you were almost giving it too much credit,” Gary Hirshberg, CEO of Stonyfield Farm, told brandchannel. “But today it is a $200-million to $300-million segment, headed toward $500 million, and every major player is leaping into it.”Continue reading...