Say what you will about inflationary pressures and competition from all other outside categories—the retail grocery dairy category offers a fascinating take on new product innovation trends involving taste and texture, form and flavor. From the refrigerated case to the freezer, processors old and new, big and small are addressing every on-trend aspect of dietary needs, better-for-you functional health, global flavors and snacking.

When it comes to cheese, many companies took a direct “snack attack” strategy. These processors included Sargento Foods Inc., Plymouth, Wis.; Bel Brands USA, Chicago; and Crystal Farms Dairy Co. (Post Holdings), Minneapolis. Sargento introduced a new three-item line of Sargento Fun! Balanced Breaks along with two new varieties of string cheese snacks (Fiesta Pepper, Smokehouse). Sargento partnered with Mondelēz International on Fun! Balanced Breaks and each includes a cheese, fruit snack and a Mondelēz cookie (Mini CHIPS AHOY! or TEDDY GRAHAMS).

Crystal Farms bolstered it snack new cubes available in Gouda, White Cheddar, Pepper Jack and Marble Jack flavors. For its part, Bel Brands extended its Laughing Cow brand with its first limited-edition flavor: Everything Bagel Style.

Many more processors pushed flavor front and center. Last spring saw Lactalis USA, Chicago, extend its Cracker Barrel block line with two premium artisan flavors: Truffle Cheddar and Dill Havarti. Separately, it also extended its Kraft Natural Cheese brand with a new 7oz block subline: Kraft Flavor Fusions. Bold varieties include Garlic & Herb Cheddar, Buffalo Ranch Monterey Jack and Tomato Basil Monterey Jack. Also emphasizing flavor was Sartori Company, Plymouth, Wis. It extended its namesake line with two flavored cheddars: Sriracha and Italian Herb.

Speaking of ethnic innovations, Emmi Roth, Stoughton, Wis., used this year’s Winter Fancy Food Show in Las Vegas to extend its Athenos feta brand with a new Tajin chili lime flavor (in partnership with Industrias Tajin S.A., de C.V.). Last summer saw FrieslandCampina, Paramus, N.J. extend its Latin American Gayo Azul brand with a Queso Fresco variety.

Spread the news! Those processors with new, flavor-forward soft cheeses have included Bel Brands USA Inc., Schuman Cheese, Lactalis USA and Saputo USA. Last May saw Bel Brands bolster its Boursin line with a limited edition Rosemary & Black Garlic flavor. Lactalis closed last December with a new look and size for its Président Rondelé line, a whipped creamy spreadable cheese. The shift involved going from a 6.5oz cup to an 8oz cup (resulting in 23% more to share per container) with no paper sleeve and a resealable package. In conjunction, Rondelé introduced a Mango Habanero variety.

For its part, Schuman, Fairfield, N.J., kicked off this year with the launch of Delve, a line of three dual-purpose 6oz and 16oz dips and spreads using a base of Cello Mascarpone (a sister business). Delve varieties include Basil Pesto Parm, Garlic Herb and Whipped Feta. Elsewhere, Saputo, Milwaukee, Wis., extended its Montchevre goat cheese brand with three flavorful 4oz logs last fall. They included Montchevre Mike's Hot Honey Goat Cheese, (collaboration with Mike's Hot Honey), a Cold Brew & Donuts variety as well as a Mild Gouda-Style offering.

We all Scream—for Snacks

At a time when snacking is the rage, ice cream brands positioned new products is ideal, indulgent snack options. They likewise pushed new frontiers with textured form and flavor.

Häagen-Dazs (HDIP Inc.) kicked off 2025 with six new hand-held snack offerings “just in time for the Big Game.” They included an entirely new line of Belgian Waffle Cones and two additional ice cream bar flavors. Taking another snack approach was Turkey Hill Dairy, Conestoga, Pa. The brand said it learned 94% of personal ice cream consumers indulge in the evening, after dinner, and late night. So last July, it introduced seven new pints of “Late Night Ice Cream including Ultimate Cookie Overload and Buttery Southern Pecan Pie.

Unilever Ice Cream, Englewood Cliffs, N.J., said its 2025 resolution is to "eat dessert first" and it announced more than 20 new offerings across its Talenti, Breyers, Popsicle, Good Humor, Magnum and Klondike brands. Three new Talenti Gelato Layers products took their cues from baked goods and each features fives layers. Varieties include Chocolate Chip Cookie Batter, Italian Tiramisu and Snickerdoodle Cookie.

Layered ice cream sundaes are big. Ben & Jerrys (Unilever), Burlington, Vt., kicked off this year with four Sundaes: Cookie Vermont-ster, Dulce-Delish Sundae, Choco-lotta Cheesecake, and Turtle. Interestingly, J&J Snack Foods Corp., Mt. Laurel, N.J., took its beaded Dippin Dots brand into the retail freezercase for the first time with two three-tiered sundae offerings: Cookies 'n Cream and Cotton Candy.

Category cross-over flavors give consumers familiar names and flavors. For example, Kellanova, Chicago, partnered this year with Golden West Group to launch as many as 10 Eggo and Rice Krispies Treats items in pints and ice cream sandwiches. Continuing with a similar approach through candy this January was M&M’s Ice Cream (Mars Inc.) with M&M'S Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich. And after 2022 success with OREO Frozen Treats, cookie maker Mondelēz International came back last year with OREO Mint Frozen Treats including snackable bars, sandwiches, and a 14oz scoopable tub.

Another trend involves ethnic flavors. Last May saw Heritage Kulfi, Princeton, N.J., introduce pints of as many as 10 South Asian ice cream “kulfi” flavors familiar to those from India, Pakistan, and Trinidad and Tobago, and elsewhere. Initial flavors included Saffron, Rosewater, Pistachio, Cardamom Chai, Alphonso Mango, Coconut, Earl Grey, Vanilla Bean, Malai Sweet Cream and Almond Blossom. Last summer saw New York City bubble tea chain Kung Fu Tea partner with Secret Creamery, Las Vegas to develop and launch six boba tea inspired pints: Kung Fu Milk Tea, Taro Cookies and Cream, Thai Tea with Mochi bits, Red Bean Coconut, Matcha Marshmallow, and Rosehip Yuzu Lemonade.

Others continue to borrow Japan’s mochi format (rice flour coating) and introduce both familiar and Asian flavors. My/Mochi Ice Cream, Los Angeles, extended its line with two sorbet flavors (Peach Mango, Raspberry) and ended last year with seasonal varieties Hot Cocoa with Marshmallows, Sugar Cookie and Gingerbread. Last July saw Bubbies Ice Cream, Phoenix, tap the Asian boba tea experience and for a Milk Tea Mochi Ice Cream.

Last but not least are new products with better-for-you health and diet benefits and/or earth friendly attributes. Among a host of new year introduces from Unilever were two reduced carb items in the Breyer’s Carb Smart line (Strawberry Bars, Rocky Road). Well Enterprises Inc., Le Mars, Iowa, bolstered its Halo Top reduced calorie brand (490 calories per pint) this January with eight new light Mix-In Pint offerings. One interesting newcomer is Smearcase, New York, N.Y., which created a Smearcase Froco ice cream “powered by cottage cheese and boosted with collagen.” Officials say Smearcase delivers 40g of protein with half the fat of regular counterparts. Smearcase was one of four start-ups recognized in a pitch competition by The California Milk Advisory Board and VentureFuel during a Future of Dairy Expo last fall in San Ramon, Calif.

Speaking of California, one stand-out is Alec’s Ice Cream, Petaluma, an A2 milk processor incorporating all organic ingredients including some several (almonds, cane sugar, bananas, coffee, maple syrup) that are Regenerative Organic Certified. Last spring brought nine new premium flavors including Triple Chocolate Blackout Cookie, Palm Springs Banana Chocolate Date Shake and a Maple Cardamom Candied Pecan. Another Petaluma company, Straus Family Creamery, kicked off 2025 with Organic Gluten-Free Cookie Dough Ice Cream. Elsewhere, GoodPop, Austin, Tex., extended its namesake line with new gluten free Strawberry Shortcake and Cookies n’ Cream varieties made with grass-fed organic dairy, fair trade cocoa, and organic berries.

Culture Club

News captured some of last year’s headlines. General Mills sold its US yogurt business (including Yoplait, Go-Gurt, Oui, and :ratio brands) to Lactalis USA. In a smaller move, Campbell’s sold its noosa yogurt brand to Lakeview Farms LLC, Delphos, Ohio. Although the deals no doubt impacted innovation, there were more new offerings for snacking, high protein and other benefits.

Last spring saw Danone North America target health-minded snackers with REMIX, a wide variety of yogurts and dairy snacks with “bold mix-ins to satisfy snacking cravings earlier or later in the day.” The REMIX collection spans each of Dannon’s brand: Light + Fit, Oikos, and Too Good & Co. and included three new offerings (nine total) across each line.

For its part, Chobani, New Berlin, N.Y., opened last year and launched Chobani Creations Greek Yogurt to stretch “yogurt beyond the breakfast occasion," said Niel Sandfort, chief innovation officer. “These flavor profiles—whether they be nostalgic like orange cream pop or decadent like mocha tiramisu—hit the spot in terms of food memory, sensory, and satisfaction,” he said. “With Chobani Creations, we're giving consumers a permissible, indulgent moment.” Varieties include Mocha Tiramisu, Apple Pie à la Mode, Cherry Cheesecake, Orange Cream Pop, Bananas Foster and Caramel Sundae.

Chobani ended last year with Chobani High Protein, a line of high protein Greek Yogurt cups and drinks with 0g added sugar. Greek Yogurt cups (6.7oz) deliver 20g of protein, and drinks (7oz, 10oz and 14oz) respectively offer 15g, 20g, and (for the first time) 30g of protein in each serving. Also taking the high protein road was LALA U.S., Inc., Dallas. It also closed last year with the launch of LALA Gold High Protein Yogurts with 10oz (25g protein) drinkable smoothie versions as well as 5.3oz spoonable varieties (20g protein). Varieties include Raspberry Key Lime, Blueberry, Cookies & Cream, Vanilla and Strawberry.

Taking another health-focused approach was Lifeway Foods Inc., Morton Grove, Ill., which extended its Lifeway line with four kefir-based Probiotic Smoothie + Collagen drinks, each with 5g of collagen. Varieties are Matcha Latte, Berry Blast, Tropical Fruit, and Plain. In other news, Lifeway announced 10 more 8oz additions to its Flavor Fusions organic kefir on-the-go line. Flavors here include Pink Dragon Fruit, Passionfruit Lychee, Hot Honey, Grapefruit Elderflower, Wild Blueberry Lavender and Taro Ube Latte.

In other fun, flavorful news, Painterland Sisters, Westfield, Pa., added a Passion Fruit variety to its organic skyr yogurt line (Sprouts Farmer Market). Organic cottage cheese maker Good Culture LLC, Irvine, Calif., also introduced its first seasonal flavor, Pumpkin & Spice, last fall at Whole Foods Market.

Pour it On: New Milks

Prepared to go with the flow? The fluid milk and milk products categories targeted roles as value-added coffee drink companions and high protein energy and meal replacements. New offerings also provided value-added (lactose free) benefits and angled to provide more fun with limited-time offers.

This year started off with Dunkin, Boston, introducing two flavors of Cold Foam Creamers (Extra Extra and Chocolate) as well as a flavored, LTO edition S’mores Creamer. Produced in a partnership with Danone North America, the Cold Foam Creamers provide a topper for a cup of hot or cold coffee and elevate the at-home experience. Officials said Extra Extra stands for “extra cream, extra sweet.” Dunkin’ Cold Foam Creamers are available in 14oz cans for a SRP of $5.99, and Dunkin’ S’mores Creamer is available in 32oz bottles for $5.08. Last year, saw Chobani introduce Chobani Zero Sugar Coffee Creamers (Sweet Cream, Salted Caramel) as well as a seasonal Apple Pie dairy creamer.

Milk also plays in the on-trend protein drink category. Last fall saw Trilliant Food and Nutrition, LLC, Little Chute, Wis., introduce Nurri Protein Milk Shakes in shelf-stable 12-packs at Costco stores nationwide. Each 11oz can offers 30g of protein along with essential vitamins and minerals and just 1g of sugar. Lactose-free Nurri is made with ultra-filtered milk and flavors include Chocolate and Vanilla (with Strawberry coming soon per the brand website). Another new face in shelf-stable, milk-based beverages is todo (Spanish for “everything”) from DIYO Inc., Dover, Del. Todo was one of four pitch competition finalists selected for an incubator cohort by The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) and VentureFuel. A 12oz todo contains 25g complete milk protein, 6g of dietary fiber, 21 vitamins and minerals, prebiotics, antioxidants and adaptogens, the company says. The debut Berry flavor can serve as a gut health or breakfast smoothie, a high fiber, high protein or meal replacement shake.

Lactose remained target last year. Prairie Farms Dairy, Edwardsville, Ill., went big with what it called the “Gold Standard” of lactose free whole and 2% reduced fat milks in a full gallon size. Garelick Farms, Franklin, Mass. (Dairy Farmers of America) introduced similar offerings and noted that its milks incorporated High Temperature Short Time (HTST) processing. Clover Sonoma, Petaluma, Calif., refreshed its Organic Lactose Free line with half gallons of Whole Milk and 2% Reduced Fat varieties ; as well as quarts of 2% Reduced Fat in Strawberry, Vanilla and Chocolate flavors.

On the subject of flavored milks, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) had fun creating specialty milks with its TruMoo brand. Last April, TrueMoo Blue Milk (vanilla flavor) was available exclusively at STAR WARS: Galaxy’s Edge in Disney Parks and then for a limited time in local dairy departments. This January, DFA partnered with Disney once again for Disney Moana Strawberry Banana Lowfat Milk. The limited-edition milk cam to the dairy aisle on the heels of holiday box office hit Walt Disney Animation Studios' Moana 2.