Yoplait UK has its sights set firmly on one of the dairy category’s current biggest growers – white, high-protein yoghurt.
For general manager Antoine Hours, it’s a category cash cow that’s healthy and ready to be milked for more. “High-protein yoghurt is booming, expected to exceed £700m (€807m) in value next year and growing at 25% year-on-year,” he says, speaking from France at the end of a holiday.
The UK yoghurt market has dropped sales in recent years, but was worth £2.8bn in 2024 (Mintel). Though sales of adult-focused yoghurts are on the up, rising by £177.5m in value and 6% in volume in the 52 weeks to February 2025 (Kantar).
Known best for its kid-focused brands in the UK, such as Petits Filous and Frubes, the adult market’s current buoyancy is very attractive to Hours. “We launched Yoplait Skyr in the UK in April,” he says, explaining how the business is tapping into the growing trend for protein-rich, usually fat-free or low-fat yoghurts.
“It’s early days, but results are very positive. In France, Skyr is the biggest SKU in the fresh dairy category. Ireland launched 18 months before us and saw great success.”
Adult yoghurt’s sales growth is coming from one daypart: breakfast. “Consumers are moving away from traditional breakfasts and turning to high-protein, low-fat yogurts like Skyr, often mixed with cereals and dried fruits,” he says.
Unlike other grocery categories, format is driving growth in the adult yoghurt segment, rather than flavour extensions, he explains. “Skyr is going to be the big focus, and here we’re playing on format – 1kg format packs, potentially with flavours,” says Hours.
Format variations are bringing in more sales. “It’s where NPD can drive incremental business. The 825g Skyr format for home consumption of strawberry provided a lot of incremental business for us. It’s often about thinking about the right format, and that has led to more success.”
As a result of the consumer buzz, yogurt currently finds itself in a positive position, one where it’s able to sprawl further across the supermarket shelves as retailers see sales uptick.
Yoplait UK’s business strategy
“Inflation is stabilising, allowing us to shift conversations with retailers from pricing to innovation and shelf space. We’re focused on incremental distribution and new listings,” says Hours.
“We’re working with retailers to make sure they have the right assortment and that’s driving success.”
And he knows a thing or two about retailer relations, having spent close to 15 years working in senior brand and marketing roles within Danone’s European, Russian and Asian waters and dairy divisions. There was also a stint as a McDonald’s Corporation brand manager and category manager assistant at Warner Brothers Entertainment.
But his feet are planted firmly in the dairy space now, with Yoplait UK, where he’s been general manager since last spring.
And although he’s barely 18 months into the role, he’s got a firm goal: “I want to leave the kids’ business healthier than I found it and achieve success in adult categories. Transforming the company through new category expansion would be a point of pride.”
He’s not oblivious to the challenges Yoplait UK faces in delivering on his one big goal. Costs have increased – and aren’t coming down any time soon – the UK’s kids’ yoghurt market is challenged by negative sugar and UPF perceptions, and it’s also losing out to other categories, like biscuits.
“Affordability is key, especially for kids yoghurts. We’re working to absorb inflation and keep prices accessible,” he explains and adds Brexit has made importing from France a little more complex – though not worryingly so. “But the UK category remains healthy.”
“Kids remain our heartland. We’re investing over £2m in Petit Filous this year, focusing on calcium and vitamin D deficiencies. We’re also reducing sugar, down 30% over 10 years.”
But sugar reduction, though there are obvious positives, has to be done without alienating the customers, he points out.
The children’s portfolio is a strong part of the UK business and leads in category NPD across the company, often being replicated in other Yoplait territories.
How Yoplait UK is expanding drinkable yoghurt
Hours is not shy to duplicate the success of his contemporaries leading the Yoplait business in other markets, and “copies with pride when it makes sense”, he says with a smile.
In fact, he has his eye on the success of Liberté in Canada, which was recently acquired by the business. Though could he replicate the brand’s Canadian wins in the UK?
“I think it’s not that it’s not going to work, but in Liberté Canada, they’ve managed to grow this brand very well,” he says, without going into the detail.
Hours believes there is growth opportunity for Liberté in the UK, but he knows there’s bigger success waiting elsewhere and alongside adult formats, especially in one other area – drinkable yoghurt.
“Convenience is a major macro trend,” he explains. “Drinkable yoghurt is expected to become a £670m category in the next three years, growing double digits month after month. Our Yop brand is central to this.”
Growth in drinkable yoghurt is most notable among women in Europe, and is tapping into gut health too.
Within drinkable, Yoplait has invested heavily in new formats, but has also pumped money into recyclability by changing to PET bottles.
“We’ve done a lot of work on packaging across our brands and moved to PET to make sure that the yogurt cups business is a sustainable project. We’ve done this to ensure 100% of packaging is recyclable by the end of the year. Lots of attention on that,” he says.
As with many businesses currently, Yoplait UK has much to navigate, but Hours has his big goal to focus on – strengthen its leadership in kids’ nutrition while unlocking new growth through high-protein and drinkable formats.
With Skyr gaining traction, Yop expanding into convenience, and sustainability investments reshaping packaging, he’s already moved Yoplait UK to a position where it’s able to better tap growing consumer trends and demands.
