Irish-made, high-protein Powerful Yogurt launching in UK and Ireland
From January 26, natural, strawberry, and mango Powerful Yogurt variations will be available online from Muscle Food, a British online sports nutrition retailer.
A four-pack of 227g pots, each containing around 25g of protein, will set consumers back £7.60 (€10.15).
Powerful Yogurt, the brainchild of Miami-based Carlos Ramirez, launched in the US in March 2013, becoming the country's first Greek yogurt product targeted specifically at men.
Within months of its US launch, Robert Doyle established Irepak to license the brand in the UK and Ireland.
From office in London and Kilcullen, County Kildare, Doyle and his team are working to build on its UK and Ireland launched with "enabling partner" Muscle Food.
“Our strategy is to launch into gyms, online stores, health stores and nutrition stores to build knowledge about the brand,” Doyle, managing director of Powerful Yogurt Ireland, told DairyReporter.com.
From there, he hopes to secure listings "during 2015" with retailers in the UK and Ireland.
“We are currently speaking with a number of retailers,” said Doyle.
Y-O-G-U-R-T
The UK and Ireland launch follows a period of market research.
As well as identifying a gap in the market for "tasty, fresh, natural sources of protein", researchers noted that British and Irish consumers had no issue with the US spelling of the word 'yoghurt'.
"Quite a few brands spell it Y-O-G-U-R-T," said Doyle. "We wouldn't be the first."
"Y-O-G-U-R-T resonates with people. Based on our research, it is not an issue."
Spelling aside, the product is entirely Irish - produced in Ireland by a contract manufacturer from Irish milk.
"It's the same brand - it has that US connection - but it's an Irish product," said Doyle.
"We worked closely with the team in Miami on the recipe - they've been very supportive - but we're an independent business."
"It is effectively an Irish product, made from Irish milk," he added.
Plans are also afoot to launch Powerful Yogurt Bars and Powerful Yogurt Drinks in the UK and Ireland later this year.
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