The better-selling of the two, Yoplait Nouriche from General Mills (Minneapolis), accounted for $89 million in year-one sales to net the fifth spot on Information Resources Inc.'s (IRI, Chicago) top 10 New Product Pacesetters. Flavors include tropical, mixed berry, strawberry, strawberry banana, raspberry and peach, the latter four also available in light versions with 170 calories per bottle (as opposed to the roughly 290 calories per bottle of the regular varieties). Citing a survey of 1,500 women between the ages of 25 and 55, Yoplait finds 32% often skipping meals and, therefore, needing help to meet basic nutritional needs. Nouriche promises a “yogurt smoothie with the nourishment of a meal” by including 20 vitamins and minerals, plus protein, in addition to the live and active cultures common to all Yoplait products. Nouriche did not skimp on the added benefits, either. Each serving offers 25% of the Daily Value (DV) of 17 vitamins and minerals, 30% of the DV for calcium, 20% for protein (10g) and 22% for fiber (6g) in the form of inulin.
Nouriche faces direct competition from another top seller this year, namely Light 'n Fit Carb Control from Dannon (Allentown, Pa.), available as either a smoothie or in the yogurt section, albeit described there as a “cultured dairy snack” made with yogurt cultures and sweetened with sucralose. Among the ingredients in the “dairy snack” are water, skim milk, cream and whey protein concentrate.