Not satisfied with taking the Australian yogurt space by storm, Dairy Farmers Thick & Creamy yogurt has now jumped international borders to be judged the world’s best dairy innovation at the 2008 International Dairy Federation (IDF) Marketing Awards.

Held in Mexico at the World Dairy Summit last week, the 2008 IDF Marketing Awards received 24 entries from 10 leading dairy companies world-wide.

Dairy Farmers General Manager for Marketing & Innovation John Wardley, said the Co-operative had won the prestigious innovation award based on the phenomenal success of Thick & Creamy yogurt since its launch in 2007.

“Australia is a small part of the global dairy industry, so it is a huge achievement to receive this international recognition, particularly from our peers,” Mr Wardley said.

“It proves what a unique and compelling innovation was behind the Thick & Creamy brand.

“Considered the ‘holy grail’ of yogurts, Thick & Creamy has broken category conventions with unique packaging and by giving consumers exactly what they wanted – a yogurt with a thick, creamy texture that is still 98 per cent fat free.”

Testament to its tastiness, after just 18 months in market Dairy Farmers Thick & Creamy has captured the number three position in the everyday yogurt category, with more than 12 per cent value share and is considered one of Dairy Farmers’ champion brands.

“Since launching, we have been inundated with testimonials from customers who love Thick & Creamy, some of whom expressed that they had previously never enjoyed yogurt,” Mr Wardley said.

“In a relatively mature category like yogurt, it’s a major coup to attract new consumers and proves that there is real scope for growth through compelling innovations.

“In fact, in the early days after the launch, production of Thick & Creamy could not meet demand; we had to expand production lines just to meet sales’ forecasts.”

Mr Wardley said that in bringing Thick & Creamy to market, Dairy Farmers started by throwing out the rule book about how a yogurt should taste, how it should be produced and how it should be presented.

“In the process, we developed the most exciting innovation to occur in sweetened yogurt for many years,” Mr Wardley said.

“The results of our sensory testing showed some of the highest consumer appeal levels ever achieved.”

The IDF is a preeminent source of scientific and technical expertise for all stakeholders in the dairy chain. It is represented by 56 countries and accounts for 86 per cent of the world’s milk production.

Dairy Farmers previously received an IDF award in 2006 for the world’s best dairy marketing campaign for Dairy Farmers white milk.