Calcium can contribute to the maintenance of normal bones and teethwhen used as part of a healthy, balanced diet. The consequence for us is that we are trying to sell products with added value in what is becoming a commoditised market, which makes life harder. It has also increased the number of yogurt products out there – in fact, I think there are more now than there ever has been.

Many types or brands of yoghurt may contain high sugar content, particularly those that are low in fat. According to the National Yoghurt Association, this process converts pasteurised milk to yoghurt during the fermentation process. 2 JM: First and foremost, it’s all about improving your engagement with the local area – whether you’re a sole trader, small, large, whatever size business you are. Look to make an introduction if you haven’t already and build a relationship with the Hub, they will find a way to support you. Fundamentally you won’t know what support they can offer until you’ve spoken. Even if it’s just for them to lend an ear and signpost various resources and tools for your business. One way is to use some premade live yoghurt, which is known as a ‘starter’, other ways include using dry bacteria or probiotic powder. 3 As pointed out earlier, live yoghurt contains high amounts of calcium which helps your teeth and bones. 8

Good to know

You only have to walk down a supermarket yogurt aisle to see it is an exceptionally saturated place. Retailers also want to offer greater choice and variety than ever before, which presents both an opportunity and a threat to manufacturers. Rachel’s Organic being delisted from Tesco last year was just one example. You need to have a strong competitive edge to stay in the supermarkets, and we believe we have it. And there is plenty of growth available for us. While we have a great nationwide reach, there is still the potential for more. Asda is a case in point – we are in about 200 of its 525 stores. This also includes the earlier mentioned vitamins and minerals that are found in yoghurt which are also thought to help support improve your immune system.

It is thought that probiotics may help you restore the natural balance of bacteria in your stomach and intestines when they’ve been upset by illness or after treatment. One particular study looked at participants which regularly consumed yoghurt that contained bifidobacterial.About six years ago, we entered the supermarkets. Around the time, they were bolstering their ethnic sections, and as yogurt is an essential element of Asian cooking, we were well-placed to capitalise on the trend. Although a majority of the yoghurts sold in the UK will have probiotics in them and will still be considered ‘live’ because of their probiotic content. 33 Another challenge to the business was when the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) ruled in 2012 that the health claims of probiotics were unproven. A wide range of our products include cultures like Bifidobacterium BB12​ and Lactobacillus acidophilus​, which we had to reclassify as ‘bio-cultures’. We are seeing farmers exiting the market, mainly because some manufacturers are taking advantage of the excess supply and are buying below cost.