Silk Launches Greek-Style Coconut Yogurt As Danone Makes Big Vegan Dairy Dive

Dairy-free brand Silk has launched a new range of vegan Greek-style yogurts. Made with a base of coconut milk, the company claims the new line “turns the yogurt aisle on its head” by delivering on the creamy taste and thick texture consumers love about real dairy Greek yogurt—but made with only plants. 

Silk has just launched a brand new line of dairy-free Greek coconut-based yogurt. According to the company, the new range is aimed at convincing even the hardiest Greek yogurt lovers to go plant-based. Currently, the Greek yogurt segment makes up over 40% of dairy yogurt category sales within the U.S. market, and many consumers have shied away from vegan substitutes that have “historically struggled to deliver on Greek’s signature thickness and texture.” 

‘Tackling the elusive Greek Style category head-on’

Silk says that its coconut milk-based dairy-free Greek yogurts will fill this gap in the market, after its R&D team’s “multiyear effort” to recreate the properties of Greek yogurt without any dairy. The new range expands Silk’s existing yogurt range, which includes almond milk and soy milk yogurts. 

“70% of plant-based beverage buyers are not yet buying plant-based yogurt alternatives,” explained Lia Stierwalt, senior marketing director for yogurt alternatives at Silk. 

“We saw an incredible opportunity to appeal to those who are already familiar with a plant-based lifestyle, as well as those who love Greek style yogurt. Silk is already a plant-based yogurt aisle favorite, and now we are tackling the elusive Greek Style category head-on.”

Capturing conscious consumers

More shoppers are choosing plant-based foods for health, ethical and environmental reasons, as part of the overall conscious consumerism trend. Silk is not only looking to fill in the gap when it comes to the Greek-style yogurt category, but also shifting its marketing to appeal to conscious consumers. 

In a statement, the brand noted that its Silk Greek line “does more than just taste good”, pointing out to health-focused shoppers that it does not contain any artificial sweeteners and eco-conscious buyers that 100% of the water used in the production process is “restored back to nature, drop for drop”. 

Danone’s plant-based dairy strategy

Silk’s latest product expansion is part of parent company Danone’s efforts to go all-in on vegan dairy. The conglomerate, which set out a target last year to double its plant-based sales globally from just over US$2.1 billion in 2019 to US$5.4 billion by 2025, recently revealed that plant-based dairy is the sector it is primarily focused on. 

In its latest earnings call, Danone interim co-CEO Shane Grant said that alt-dairy would be central to its “plant-based 2.0” platform, which will involve rolling out new “dairy-like technology” across its multiple vegan brands. Aside from Silk, Danone also owns Alpro, So Delicious, and most recently acquired Earth Island, the makers of the famous Vegenaise label Follow Your Heart. 

“With Silk, Alpro, So Delicious, and now Follow Your Heart, we have the leadership positions for continued scale and acceleration here,” said Grant. 

Just last month, Alpro expanded its yogurt range with Greek-style alternatives with one made from a coconut base and the other with oats.

While vegan milk remains the dominant category within plant-based dairy, dairy-free yogurt, butter and cheese segments are eyed with huge growth potential. 

In 2020, U.S. sales of vegan yogurt grew at seven-times the rate of its dairy-based counterparts, according to data from the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA). 

The Silk Greek Style Coconutmilk Yogurt range is made from a base of coconut milk and pea protein, and comes in four flavours, including Vanilla, Strawberry, Lemon, and Blueberry. Each serving contains 10 grams of protein, live and active cultures, and is certified vegan-friendly, and will retail at major U.S. supermarkets like Safeway and Albertson’s for $1.99 per 5.3-ounce cup. 

All images courtesy of Silk.