Magazine: Butters and other dairy spreads

Sandwich never goes out of fashion, but it always changes what kind of dairy spread we put on the two slices of bread – decided by trends, diets and prices.

Flóra Hesz
junior shopper
marketing manager
Upfield Hungary

Due to a price increase last year, margarine sales improved in value after a period of stagnation. Upfield Hungary Kft.’s junior shopper marketing manager Flóra Hesz told Trade magazin that the market of branded margarines continues to strengthen. Among retail channels it is discounters that are getting stronger. Upfield Hungary’s innovation work focuses on cutting down on plastic packaging. One of this year’s new products is Rama with Butter, which is available in paper packaging. Another innovation direction is satisfying the needs of consumers following a vegan diet. This is why the first 100-percent plant-based Flora margarine came out last year. This year the product line will expand. With this strategy the company reaches not only margarine buyers but also vegan consumers.

Angéla Majthényi
trade marketing
manager, Sole-Mizo

According to Angéla Majthényi, Sole-Mizo Zrt.’s trade marketing manager, by analysing market data and consumption habits, it can be said that Hungarians are open to trying new innovations. In the butter segment Sole-Mizo offers many types of products, in size varying from 100g to 250g – and they even have a lactose-free variant. Gazda butters can be found in shops in 100g and 200g sizes, and these products are free from E-numbers. In the sandwich spread and cream cheese segments the company is present with the classic Boci brand. Mizó Kenvejó butter products debuted in the spring of 2019: consumers can spread them instantly as taken out of the fridge. The product is unique in the sense that it is made domestically, exclusively of Hungarian ingredients. Mizó Kenvejó is available in three variants and has been very popular every since its launch. It is available in 125g size, in plain and salty versions, plus in 250g plain variant.

Brigitta Fekete, junior brand manager of FrieslandCampina Hungária ZRt. informed us that the most popular butter cream variants are Hungarian-style and herbs. The Milli brand offers such special products to consumers as blue cheese, onion-bacon and Frico smoked cheese butter creams. They also developed lactose-free plain Milli butter cream to satisfy the growing need for special-diet products. Their latest innovation is Milli premium cream cheese with extra cream. These soft and cream Milli products entered the market in November 2019 and can be bought in 125g size, in three flavours: plain, pesto and ham.

András Lengyel
managing director
ERU Food Trading

Camping processed cheese and cream cheese products – these are the main profile of ERU Food Trading Kft. Managing director András Lengyel talked to our magazine about more conscious consumers, who read product information thoroughly but at the same time pay attention to the price-value ratio too. Sales are increasing as shoppers are using processed and cream cheese products more ways than before. For instance, Camping products are increasingly popular as cooking ingredients. The company senses the growing demand for lactose-free products, so recently ERU has rolled out Camping lactose-free processed cheese in ham flavour too.

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János Volosinovszki
managing director
Nádudvari Élelmiszer

Sales of Nádudvari Élelmiszer Kft.’s E-free products augmented last year. János Volosinovszki talked to us about the popularity of their körözött (cottage-cheese spread with paprika and other spices), butter cream and cream cheese products, which are perfectly in line with the current health trends, as they don’t contain artificial colours, flavours and thickeners. Last year they put a family-size körözött on the market – formerly the product could be bought in 150g size – which soon became popular among consumers. This year a lactose-free variant will hit the market.

The market of dairy-free alternative is expanding rapidly and companies are using pulses, oilseeds, carrot and coconut to substitute milk in these. Katrin Varga, marketing manager of MediLine Kft. said: they see a growth in the vegan sandwich cream selection available, and they market lactose-free butter and butter creams. The company’s premium brand Koko Dairyfree is made of 1st-class coconut milk, using the fermentation method. These products are fully vegan, and free from gluten, soy, milk and lactose, plus there are no artificial flavours, preservatives and colours in them either. MediLine’s latest innovations were launched at the end of 2019: Koko cheddar alternative and Koko vegetable spread. The latter has proved to be very popular as it can be used in cooking and baking too, not only as a sandwich spread./