What’s next for high protein packaging design?
Packaging design trends for dairy NPD
The UK high protein dairy category recorded a 44.2% year-on-year growth in 2023, reaching £117m, driven by increased consumer awareness of high protein benefits, including weight loss, and muscle growth and retention, especially within the aging population [1]. We explore the opportunity and packaging design trends around this growing category.
As more shoppers actively seek healthier products, protein continues to be a top priority. Kantar’s ‘Defining Better 2024’ study reveals that 42% of shoppers looking for healthier products are interested in high protein products [2].
Global giants and challenger brands are responding quickly to the growing demand: Müller Yogurt & Desserts and Myprotein, the leading online sports nutrition brand, have collaborated to launch a new range of high-protein yogurts and desserts.
The question we’ve been asking ourselves is how do we continue to optimise our health and nutrition range, while bringing something to the dairy aisle that is unique, appeals to expanding shopper needs, and drives further protein category growth?
Richard Williams, CEO of Müller Yogurt & Desserts [3]
By expanding our range and bringing together Myprotein, who are the experts in sports nutrition with Müller’s reputation for outstanding taste, we are confident that we have found the perfect pairing for shoppers.
It’s not just the big players driving innovation. Smaller, traditional dairy brands are stepping up too. Take St Helen’s Farm; the traditional heritage brand have launched SuperNutrio, a high protein milk developed to target both a fitness audience, as well as families with young children, and the older generation who are looking to increase their protein intake naturally for health purposes, whilst getting important added calcium into their everyday diet. With a modern design and a fresh tone of voice, SuperNutrio is celebrating a listing in UK’s largest supermarket chain, Tesco.
Similarly, Saputo Dairy UK targets Millennials and Gen Z consumers with its Cathedral City High Protein range. The range targets health-conscious consumers that don’t want to compromise on taste and taps into their desire for an ‘affordable and accessible source of pleasure’.
Design plays a crucial role in appealing to a younger, health-conscious audience. In our packaging trends research we explored the evolving design codes that appeal to Gen Z. We’re seeing a move towards designs that are friendly, approachable and positive, think comforting color palettes with contrasting brights for a stylish, yet expressive and ‘cute’ look.
This shift raises important questions for brands. Should dairy brands move away from traditional natural cream and hessian palettes, as seen in Müller’s collaboration, or the gym-functional, masculine black codes used by SuperNutrio? Instead, could a more positive, brighter style better connect with today’s consumers?
In my upcoming mini E-book, I explore the dairy protein category trends in more detail, but here’s a taster of two top shifts:
Design codes for high protein in dairy have historically been black, bold, functional, and masculine. As more women seek high protein for ‘feel-good’ and ‘nourishing’ need-states, the most forward-thinking brands are refreshing their packaging design and product-range to respond to this. Our market mapping below visualizes the movement towards more colorful, inclusive and emotionally-warm design cues.
High protein yogurt sales have increased through the impact of Ozempic and Mounjaro weight-loss injections, now with official approval for use in the UK, predictions are that this will drive further growth [4]. 
Protein advocates are everywhere, with TikTok one of the main sources of pro-protein consumption advice, influencers receive thousands of likes and comments. Tips on how to avoid ‘Ozempic butt’ and ‘Ozempic face‘ (i.e. wrinkles, hollowness and flatness caused by muscle-loss) by consuming more protein, are reaching millions of views.
If you’re looking for ways to incorporate these shifts into your next packaging new product design, we can help. Our team has masses of knowledge and experience working on dairy and dairy alternative brand and packaging design.
We’re offering a FREE 20-minute idea-sharing brainstorm, with face-to-face online access to Strategic Creative experts from our Brand team, first come first served… to book a session email :
Get in touch and find out how we can help your brand grow.
References:
[1] IRI (Circana) data, Dairy Reporter Feb 2024
[2] Kantar, Defining Better Report 2024
[3] The Grocer Sept 2024
[4] Fortune newsletter June 2024
Images:
Muller image – Grocery Gazette
St Helen’ s Farm
SuperNutrio – The Grocer
Cathedral City – Talking Retail
Dr Tommy Martin – Tik Tok
