Greek yogurt has become an “it” ingredient and popular snack. It has been proclaimed in recent years for its creamy taste and high protein content and utility in cutting fat content in mayonnaise heavy recipes. Now food mogul Kraft is taking part with their new line “Athenos” yogurt.
Brand manager for Kraft’s Athenos line Marshall Hyzdu, cited the doubling of Greek yogurt sales every year for the last five years to more than 100 million pounds per year. The market’s biggest competitors in the U.S. includes Fage and Chobani. There are also a variety of Greek style yogurts that imitate the taste and texture but are made differently, Hyzdu said.
To stand out, Athenos is making only fat free Greek yogurt in tubs of plain and divided. It will include single serving containers with yogurt on one side, and strawberry, peach, blueberry or honey on the other. The Kraft products are about half the price of the more established competition. The snack sized containers will retail for $1.50, while the pounds of plain yogurt are priced at $3.99.
A popular but relatively small brand in Kraft’s portfolio, Athenos makes Mediterranean style foods including feta cheese, hummus and pita chips. Hyzdu said the brand has been working on Greek yogurt for some time to get it just right. He said there has been ample encouragement from the 85,000 Facebook fans who are excited at the news of a Greek yogurt.
Athenos will begin distribution throughout California this month, in what Hyzdu calls: “sort of a reverse manifest destiny.” The yogurt also will be available at Wal-Mart stores, select Jewel grocery stores and Kroger stores in the Midwest. A wider release will come early next year.
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