The world of dairy-free offerings is rapidly expanding. Whether consumers seek out these options for health, environmental, or ethical reasons, the number of dairy-free products lining the shelves indicates that this niche is in demand. Recently, Chobani–a household name for yogurt–launched its own dairy-free line.
CivicScience asked more than 1,900 U.S. adults about their experience with Chobani’s non-dairy yogurt. As the data show, 12% have tried and liked it, while 9% plan to.
Favorability for Chobani’s non-dairy yogurt is slightly higher than that of non-dairy yogurt in general, suggesting that brand name may, in fact, make a difference when appealing to consumers with new and not-yet-mainstream products.
The data confirm this, as people who are already favorable to Chobani are the most likely to have tried the dairy-free product or be planning to do so.
Of course, Chobani’s yogurt is just a small part of the larger dairy-free discussion. And, while it may not be unexpected, it is clear that there is an overlap between those who like the Chobani dairy-free yogurt and those who enjoy dairy-free ice cream.
From one perspective, it appears that new iterations of non-dairy items are just preaching to the choir – appealing to those who already are committed to a dairy-free lifestyle. However, these items aren’t solely the desire of vegans. In fact, those who eat meat occasionally but who are primarily vegetarian are the most likely to have tried Chobani’s non-dairy line. Those who are vegetarian or vegan are the most likely to want to try it.
This suggests that interest in dairy-free yogurt may not come from a place of total restriction, but from a desire to have a healthier, more balanced lifestyle.
The majority of this interest comes from the youngest adults as well as women.
And, when given the choice between Target and Walmart, non-dairy Chobani shoppers and those who plan to give it a try have a slight preference for the former.
It is worth noting, however, that even those who are unfavorable to the big name box stores are still willing to shop there to try this dairy-free product.
Although dairy-free products may be trendy, those who like dairy-free Chobani spend the least amount of time on social media. The same cannot be said for dairy-free ice cream lovers, where intent to try and time on social media are correlated.
Ultimately, the desire for dairy-free products is strong. Far from appealing to only an exclusive group, it seems that Chobani’s non-dairy yogurt has the potential to maximize on brand loyalty, while also appealing to a larger, health-minded demographic.
