Magazine: Milk as a magnet

The price of raw milk has dropped considerably this year because of two reasons: the European Union lifted milk quotas and this created an oversupply in the market; and because of the Russian embargo, which also resulted in a dairy product oversupply in Europe. Low milk prices mean retail can use dairy products as ‘magnet products’. Zoltán Nagy, key account manager of Lactalis Hungária Kft. told our magazine that sales developed above the base rate and among retail channels discount stores continued their conquest. Béla Nagy, marketing and PR director of Kőröstej Kft. is of the opinion that imported products are still important in the market and they also drive prices down. The price of cottage cheese and sour cream is changing hectically. Basically there is no brand loyalty, consumers are choosing the cheapest products. As for innovations, manufacturers are focusing on longer shelf life. Sole-Mizo is selling much more UHT milk and cheese in Hungary than it used to – we learned from sales director Sándor Szentesi. He added that in their innovation activity they also have consumers with special needs in mind. The company has created a whole product line for them, which they will put on the market in the last quarter of 2015. Mizo keeps expanding its portfolio of lactose-free products and they also launched several new Update products this year. The Mizo brand has a stable and constantly growing group of buyers, and the company supports these products with marketing activities such as sponsoring the VOLT music festival, the PlayKid event or the 14th Pick Running Festival. Bernadett Strasser-Kátai, managing director of Real Nature Kft. spoke to Trade magazine about increasing consumer consciousness in terms of both product packaging and ingredients. Thanks to the years spent with educating consumers, the company’s creamy cottage cheese sales are increasing – these products require less preparation work in the kitchen. More and more consumers opt for products in a plastic box, because there is no leakage or contamination. Lactalis Hungária Kft.’s goal is to keep strengthening the Parmalat brand, using domestic ingredients and producing in Hungary. Lilla Dénes told us that since the 1990 Parmalat has been putting new products on the market all the time. Consequently, today the brand offers a wide selection of tasty, high-quality dairy products manufactured in Hungary. Parmalat Színtiszta milks are made using the microfiltration technology, which is unique in Hungary, not only killing but also removing bacteria from the milk – thanks to this, it becomes fresher and it tastes nicer. For more than 10 years Real Nature’s main innovation direction has been offering products which are guaranteed to be GMO-free. Real Nature cottage cheeses got a new packaging, while the Fasten product line was expanded with protein yogurts. Lactose-free Nöm L-free dairy products are available in basically all categories, so that consumers who are sensitive to lactose can also choose from tasty dairy products. Kőröstej is the manufacturer of Dráva cottage cheese. Following consumer tests – which revealed that its quality is exceptionally good – the company has recently decided to sell the product under the Hajdú brand name, which is an internationally acknowledged Hungarian cheese brand.