UK – Muller UK & Ireland has announced that it targets 25% sugar reduction across its branded yogurt portfolio including Müller Corner and Müllerlight by June 2020.
This is in line with Public Health England’s voluntary guidelines which seek a 20% lowering of total sugar by August 2020.
According to Muller, this would equate with the removal of 3300 tonnes of sugar since 2015 and builds on the 13.5% reduction already achieved across Müller’s yogurt portfolio to August 2017.
Sugar reduction is part of the company’s £100 million (US$129 million) investment programme that aims to develop new products to keep up with changing consumer tastes.
“There is a responsibility which comes with being the 8th most chosen brand in the UK,” said Bergen Merey, Managing Director at Müller Yogurt & Desserts.
“So everything we do is geared towards adding taste to life, and inspiring people to become happier and healthier.
“We’re the category leader, and the significant challenge we faced was how to reduce sugar, without ever compromising on taste.
“We’ve now got our best ever recipes, supported by our biggest ever marketing campaign, and this category disrupting strategy is how we plan to not only meet Public Health England’s voluntary targets, but exceed them.”
Reformulating for consumers
Through the Official Yogurt of British Athletics portfolio, Muller has resolved to healthy lifestyle campaigns including sugar and fat reduction.
This ambitious goal is helped by the new yogurt variants launched this year: Müllerlight and Müller Corner, containing 9% less sugar and more protein.
The two recipes were developed following the discovery of a new yogurt culture last year, which combines two yogurt strains that reduce sugar content.
Muller reformulated Müllerlight Greek Style and Müllerlight Fruitopolis so that they include 0% added sugar.
It also removed sugar from the iconic Müller Corner Strawberry flavour and Müller Quark Yogurt range, and launched Müller Corner Plain, the dairy company’s first ever Müller Corner made with unsweetened natural Greek style yogurt.
The company said its branded chilled dessert, Müller Rice, is already below Public Health England’s 2020 voluntary sugar reduction target for the category.
To achieve category growth, Muller is looking to strengthen its core brands, develop a leading private label proposition and innovate to target the 46% of the yogurt category where the brand has limited or no presence.
