Fruit yoghurt among the biggest categories

Yoghurt consumption was up by 5 percent last year, exceeding 66,000 tonnes in the March 2008-February 2009 period. Sales in terms of value exceeded HUF 35 billion, with a 10 percent expansion of the market. Fruit yoghurt is one of the top 10 categories monitored by Nielsen with annual sales over HUF 29 billion. The average price of a kilo of fruit yoghurt is down by HUF 4 this year, compared to January 2008. Average price in the natural yoghurt category was up from HUF 547 in 2008, to HUF 562 in January this year. Modern, bigger than 400 square meter stores are the primary distribution channel for yoghurt. Private labels accounted for 13 percent of the fruit yoghurt market in terms of quantity in January 2009. Smaller than 200 gram size units accounted for 73 percent of sales of fruit yoghurt.