The Coca-Cola Company-owned milk brand fairlife has debuted its latest line of premium products of creamers made with ultra-filtered milk, available in four varieties: Hazelnut, Caramel, Vanilla and Sweet Cream. The launch of these real dairy coffee creamers marks fairlife’s first venture into the creamer category in line with the company’s predictions of a booming coffee category.
“Today, the creamer category is dominated by choices that lean heavily on indulgent flavors. As sales of premium coffee grows, our research shows that many consumers want to enhance the taste of their coffee, not cover it up,” says Bill Kelly, Chief Marketing Officer at fairlife, LLC.
“We created fairlife creamers to provide these coffee drinkers with a great-tasting option that offers real dairy with a hint of flavor to enhance their coffee experience. Our creamers are made with ultra-filtered milk and 40 percent less sugar than other creamers. It’s just another way to offer consumers products with enhanced nutrition profiles,” he explains.
As noted by fairlife, the coffee category is expected to grow from US$15.1 billion in 2019 to US$18.5 billion by 2024 and the creamer market is projected to grow alongside it, from US$6.1 billion to US$7.5 billion. The company attributes this growth to coffee’s functional benefits and healthful positioning while others attribute it to people adding less sugar to their coffee drinks or purchasing beverages that do not contain artificial ingredients.
Many creamers are created with oils, milk derivatives and artificial ingredients. Aiming to tap into clean label consumer demands, fairlife creamers contain only five ingredients, including real ultra-filtered milk. All four varieties of fairlife creamers are made without artificial flavors or sweeteners and contain 40 percent less sugar than regular coffee creamers. Each flavor was crafted by the company to deliver a touch of sweetness to help enrich the essence of a home brewed cup without masking the coffee taste.
The “smooth and balanced” creamers are also lactose-free, gluten-free, and are made without the use of artificial growth hormones. They are sold in 16-ounce bottles in the refrigerated dairy aisles of grocery and retail stores.
Fast-growing ultra-filtered milk
The Coca-Cola Company acquired the remaining stake in fairlife earlier this month from its joint venture partner Select Milk Producers. Coca-Cola now owns 100 percent of fairlife, up from its previous 42.5 percent minority stake. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
fairlife, which launched in 2012, started with a high-protein milk shake called Core Power and has grown to offer a broad portfolio of products in the fast-growing value-added dairy category in North America. The company continues to operate as a stand-alone business based in Chicago.
“We are excited for the next chapter of fairlife’s growth and innovation and look forward to continuing to work with our partners across the Coca-Cola system to meet fast-changing consumer needs in a vibrant category,” says Tim Doelman, fairlife CEO.
Value-added dairy products have been growing steadily in the US, in contrast to the traditional fluid milk category, as noted by fairlife. The company’s ultra-filtered milk debuted in 2014, and sales have grown sharply since then, with strong double-digit growth recorded each year since launch.
Continued growth for fairlife’s has been supported by new product innovation ranging from delicious lactose-free, ultra-filtered milk with less sugar and more protein than competing brands, to high-protein recovery and nutrition shakes and drinkable snacks.
The brand also has been supported by the reach of Coca-Cola’s US system with products distributed both through the Minute Maid distribution system, as well as by Coca-Cola bottlers across the country. In 2018, fairlife also launched in Canada and will begin local production and sourcing in Ontario in spring 2020. fairlife is also continuing to expand production capability in the US by complementing production in Michigan and Texas with a new facility under construction in Arizona.
Coffee category expands
Coffee category horizons are expanding with new innovative applications. Earlier this month, Ocean Spray Cranberries, the agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 farmer families in the US, launched Ocean Spray Brew, a first-of-its kind hybrid drink made with real fruit juice and cold brew coffee.
Also this month, BM and Farmer Connect harnessed the power of blockchain in the partnership’s latest unveiling of a mobile app designed to raise traceability, efficiency and fairness across the global coffee supply chain.
Last December, moves toward a circular food system were highlighted in McDonald’s inter-sector partnership with Ford Motor Company, which plans to create new vehicle parts using disposed coffee grounds.
In the same month, FrieslandCampina debuted a unique milk cap powder for an indulgent layer on top of coffee and other beverages. As its name suggests, this product is designed to be used to create a creamy layer on top of a variety of drinks and desserts, without the need for heating or machinery.
Source: Food Ingredients First
