In the wake of the Greek yogurt craze, yogurt remains a superfood with significant upside, according to a recently released report from Packaged Facts (www.packagedfacts.com), The Yogurt Market and Yogurt Innovation: Greek Yogurt and Beyond. Packaged Facts forecasts that U.S. retail sales of yogurt will approach $9.3 billion by 2017, up from $7.3 billion in 2012. Even with its recent market growth, yogurt continues to be consumed at a much lower per capita rate in the U.S. than in other countries where yogurt is a staple. Moreover, yogurt is spreading beyond the breakfast daypart, reflecting the "breakfast-all-day" culinary and menu trend.
In the U.S. market, retail dollar sales of Greek yogurt increased more than 50% in 2012 to reach $1.6 billion, with significant gains in the mass-market as well as natural and specialty retail channels. At the same time, non-Greek yogurt saw its sales decrease. According to David Sprinkle, publisher of Packaged Facts, "Greek yogurt has raised its share of the refrigerated yogurt market to 35%, up from only 1% in 2007." Even though it is unlikely that Greek yogurt can keep up its growth marathon, Greek yogurt has continued to increase market sales and share through first quarter 2013.