Popularity Of Flavored Milk Helps Out The Dairy Industry

Is regular ol' milk handing down its crown as the king of the dairy industry?

Maybe not, but with the rise of consumption of flavored milk, non-flavored milk is no longer the sole primary supporter of the dairy industry.

Experts estimate that in the next three years, the rate of consumers purchasing flavored milk will "more than double the rate of white milk globally."

With flavored and sweetened milk having a strong history and popularity among the younger generation, many are wondering why the sudden uptick is happening now.  The food processing and packaging solutions company, Tetra Pak, declared that this increase could be contributed to four factors:

1. Flavored milks are nutrient-rich. With a large portion of the population intent on maintaining healthy lifestyles, these dairy options provide an easy way to intake the necessary vitamins for survival. Developing counties are taking this into account, and driving the demand for the flavored dairy products. (However, the nutritional value of these products has been questioned.)

2. Society is all about on-the-go products and efficiency, which may make "convenient portion packs" of flavored milk more popular.

3. People enjoy trying new things. Simple.

4. Flavored milk is an "indulgence," says Tetra Pak. It is not your everyday milk that you have always found in your cereal, so the company sees it as a way of escaping the grueling and unpredictable economy of today.

Whether or not you agree with Tetra Pak's reasoning behind the growth of the flavored milk industry, the facts show that the product is growing in popularity. While new estimates show that flavored milk will increase 4.1 percent from 2012 to 2013, from 17 billion liters to 19.2 billion liters, it's becoming clear that flavored milk products are keeping dairy relevant.