Introducing Dannon Pro Nonfat Yogurt & Dannon Oikos Pro Greek Nonfat Yogurt

WHITE PLAINS, NY – Dannon® Foodservice is excited to announce the launch of a new bulk yogurt back-of-house solution to meet your culinary needs: Dannon® Pro Nonfat Yogurt in vanilla and strawberry flavors and Dannon® Oikos® Pro Greek Nonfat Yogurt in plain and vanilla flavors. Designed to help operators optimize back-of-house operations, Dannon® Pro Nonfat Yogurt and Dannon® Oikos® Pro Greek Nonfat Yogurt come in 6-pound bags with an easy-pour resealable cap to help prevent spillage and minimize cross-contamination. This new easy-to-use format delivers superior efficiency, optional yield and improved packaging sustainability. With a delicious flavor and a rich and creamy texture, Dannon offers an easier way to bring the booming yogurt trend to your operation from a brand you know and trust.

These new products make it easy to create flavorful dishes to satisfy the growing demand of better-for-you menu options. As the food of the decade[1], yogurt continues to become more prevalent in restaurant kitchens and can be found in a variety of sweet and savory dishes. From perfect parfaits to signature spreads, dressings, marinades and more, yogurt can be used to help reduce fat and calories without losing flavor or texture. Many chefs are replacing ingredients like regular sour cream, cream cheese and mayonnaise with traditional plain Greek yogurt to reduce fat by 80%[2]. And by replacing oil and butter with creamy nonfat yogurt, you can help improve decadent desserts.

“Yogurt is a great versatile ingredient to have on hand,” says Michael Symon, a James Beard Award–winning chef, restaurateur, television personality and author, in addition to being a Dannon® Oikos® spokesperson. “I’ve been cooking with Greek yogurt for years and I grew up with it. I use it in everything from classic Greek dips to flavorful marinades and dressings. Greek yogurt has a rich mouthfeel, but it also brings a tartness and acidity to a dish for a more complex flavor. One of my favorite dishes is roasted lamb with mint and cucumber yogurt, but it really can be paired with just about anything.”

With up to 22 grams of protein per 8-ounce serving, Dannon® Oikos® Pro Greek Nonfat Plain Yogurt contains one ingredient – cultured milk. According to a recent study, consumers expect Greek yogurt to become more common in ice cream, dips, salad dressings and ready-to-drink smoothies[3]. Operators can amp up the flavors of sushi and grilled meats by creating a zesty Asian-inspired dip made with Dannon® Oikos® Pro Greek Nonfat Plain Yogurt, lowfat mayonnaise, green onions, wasabi paste, ginger, garlic and soy sauce. Whether showcased in appetizers, entrées or desserts, Dannon® Oikos® Pro Greek Nonfat Plain Yogurt can complement just about any flavor combination and cuisine.

As the fastest-growing breakfast item away from home[4], operators are developing creative ways to satisfy customer’s taste buds, with convenient, easy breakfast offerings like smoothies and parfaits. Dannon® Pro Nonfat Yogurt, a blended yogurt, is delicious on its own or paired with fresh fruit or cereal. For example, by blending Dannon® Pro Nonfat Vanilla Yogurt with strawberries, peaches, banana and wheat germ, operators can instantly create a delicious smoothie. There are countless ways to combine plain yogurt, as well as the flavors of creamy vanilla and strawberry yogurt, with fruit, nuts and whole-grain toppers to create tasty, nutrient-rich breakfast and snack items.

After years of developing ways to benefit the foodservice industry, Dannon® is delighted to offer an innovative new package design to help operators manage costs and optimize back-of-house efficiencies. The resealable bag provides 99% yield and has an easy-pour cap to help prevent spillage while minimizing cross-contamination. Plus, the flexible, simple-to-use pouch is made with 61.5% less plastic[5] than quarts to reduce waste. Available in 6-lb. durable plastic bags, Dannon® Pro Nonfat Yogurt comes with 4 bags per case, while Dannon® Oikos® Pro Greek Nonfat Yogurt comes 2 bags per case. Both blended and Greek varieties contain live and active cultures and are certified gluten-free[6] and kosher[7].

With efficient packaging and endless applications, operators can use the on-trend power of Dannon® Pro Nonfat Yogurt and Dannon® Oikos® Pro Greek Nonfat Yogurt to easily meet customer demand for delicious, flavorful dishes. Whether layering parfaits, cooking up fresh, creamy soups or baking rich, decadent desserts, Dannon® can help inspire innovative recipes for every day part.

Dannon® Foodservice makes it easy for operators to start cooking with yogurt, thanks to a limited-time rebate. To learn more, access recipes and download the Dannon® rebate, please visit www.DannonFoodservice.com or contact foodservice@Dannon.com.

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About The Dannon® Company, Inc.

Headquartered in White Plains, New York, Dannon® makes yogurt and other cultured dairy foods at its plants in in Minster, Ohio, Fort Worth, Texas, West Jordan, Utah, and Portland, Oregon. Dannon® makes more than 200 different flavors, styles and sizes of cultured refrigerated and frozen dairy products to serve its retail and foodservice customers. In its pursuit to bring health through food to as many people as possible, Dannon® is committed to Americans enjoying yogurt every day as one of the three recommended daily servings of dairy.

Dannon® is a subsidiary of Danone, and Dannon® is the top-selling brand of yogurt worldwide, sold under the names Dannon® and Danone. Danone is present on all continents and holds leading positions in health-focused food through four businesses: Fresh Dairy Products, Early Life Nutrition, Waters and Medical Nutrition. Danone’s mission is to bring health through food to as many people as possible. Danone has more than 190 production plants and around 104,000 employees. In 2013, the company generated sales of more than US$28 billion, with more than 60% in emerging countries. Listed on Euronext Paris, Danone is a component stock of leading social responsibility indexes including the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes, Vigeo and the Ethibel Sustainability Index. Danone is also ranked number one in the 2013 ATNI index.

[1] According to Harry Balzer, VP, NPD Group, 2010–2012      

[2] Based on USDA database, May 2013

[3] “Greek Yogurt Revolution”, Affinnova, September 2013

[4] Datassential MenuTrendsTM 2012       

[5] Plastic weight of 37.92g for one bag vs.98.4g for 3 quarts, cups and lids for equivalence of 6 pounds of yogurt (1–(37.92/98.4) = 61.5% less plastic)

[6] Certified by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO)

[7] Kosher certified

Source: Dannon® Company, Inc.