Plain white milk is an essential staple in the Indian households and stands as the most widely consumed dairy beverage. Following closely are yogurt-based drinks like lassi and buttermilk/chaas, with flavoured milk/milkshakes enjoyed by nearly a quarter of Indians.
In a competitive marketplace where differentiation is tough, this Report analyses key purchase drivers to help plain milk brands stand out.
The Report also examines the premiumisation opportunities in dairy beverages. With increasing consumer interest in health, there is a significant chance to enhance product offerings with added health benefits.
While sweet dairy drinks have broad appeal, they are consumed infrequently. Therefore, this Report explores flavour innovations that could boost consumption of sweet dairy drinks, tapping into an exciting market potential.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Key factors for driving differentiation in plain milk, using key driver analysis
- Consumption of different dairy drinks in the last three months
- Consumption frequency of sweet dairy drinks
- Key health features for driving premiumisation in dairy drinks
- Flavour innovations of interest in sweet dairy drinks
- Three key trends influencing dairy drinks categories in India
Capitalise on the increasing demand for mental wellness. Appeal to novelty seekers by delivering innovative flavours. Emphasise key attributes in plain milk to distinguish it in the marketplace.
Tulsi Joshi, Senior Food & Drink Analyst, India
Market Definitions
This Report covers dairy-based drinks like plain/A2 milk and flavoured milk. It will also cover dairy-based ready-to-drink (RTD) lassi, coffee, chaas, milkshakes and smoothies.
It excludes all types of dairy alternative drinks, like oats, almonds, nuts and coconut milk.
This report covers dairy-based drinks like plain/A2 milk and flavoured milk. It will also cover dairy-based ready-to-
drink (RTD) lassi, coffee, chaas, milkshake and smoothie.
It excludes all types of dairy alternative drinks, like oats, almonds, nuts and coconut milk.
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- Report definition
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Mintel's perspective
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Overview
- Plain milk: stand out by offering thicker texture and richer cream content; enhance nutritional value while promoting animal welfare
- Key opportunities to stand out in plain milk
- Drive premiumisation in dairy drinks with mental wellness benefits
- Be mindful: offer sleep aid, mood enhancement and stress relief
- Graph 1: features consumers are willing to pay more for in dairy drinks, by city tier, 2024
- Give flavour twists to sweet diary drinks with mithai, fruit mix and choco combos
- Elevate indulgence in sweet dairy with mithai, fruit mixes and chocolate combo flavours
- Graph 2: top five flavour launches in flavoured dairy drinks, 2021-24
- Mintel predicts
- The outlook for dairy drinks in India, 2024
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KEY TRENDS
- What you need to know
- Increasing stress and rising demand for mental energy
- Stress continues to plague Indian consumers
- Graph 3: consumer responses to the statement "I am actively seeking ways to reduce stress"*, 2023
- The mental wellness of young people is declining
- The meaning of a healthy lifestyle has evolved to include holistic wellbeing
- Graph 4: factors associated with a healthy lifestyle, 2023
- Brands are increasingly embracing mental wellbeing
- Beyond stress relief, Indians seek food & drink that can help enhance their brain power
- Food and drink brands are increasingly addressing consumers' demand for brain cognitive benefits
- Rise of animal welfare initiatives
- Animal welfare initiatives are increasingly seen in India
- Growing sentiment for animal welfare among Indian consumers
- Global vegan campaigns shed light on dairy farming practices
- The emergence of experiential seekers
- Indians value experiences
- Novel is the new premium, especially for metro dwellers
- Graph 5: top descriptions that best describe premium products (any rank), by city tier, 2022
- Global dairy brands are bringing adventurous flavours to address consumers' need for novelty
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WHAT CONSUMERS WANT AND WHY
- What you need to know
- Consumption of dairy drinks
- Plain milk is the most consumed dairy drink, followed by yogurt drinks
- Graph 6: consumption of types of dairy drinks in the last three months, 2024
- Metro and affluent Indians have the widest repertoire of dairy drinks
- Graph 7: select repertoire of dairy drinks, by socio-economic class, 2024
- Graph 8: select repertoire of dairy drinks, by city tier, 2024
- Status quo: while flavoured milk dominates, yogurt drinks launches are rising
- Graph 9: total share of sub-category launches in dairy drinks, 2021-24
- Graph 10: % of subcategory launches in dairy drinks, 2021-24
- Opportunities for plain milk
- Cow milk is consumed more than buffalo, while A2 is catching up with plain milk
- Graph 11: consumption of select dairy drinks in the last three months, 2024
- Regions have their preferences in regards to cow and buffalo milk
- Graph 12: consumption of select dairy drinks in the last three months, by region, 2024
- Status quo: plain milk brands are increasingly revamping their product lines
- Graph 13: % of relaunches in milk (liquid), 2017-24
- Graph 14: total share of launches in liquid milk (liquid), 2017-24
- Half of Indians are highly satisfied with their plain milk consumption experience
- Graph 15: level of overall satisfaction/dissatisfaction from plain milk consumption, 2024
- Take a strategic approach to stand out in the plain milk market
- Key driver analysis – correlation analysis
- Key opportunities for plain milk
- Champion creamier content in plain milk's messaging
- Differentiate by offering full-fat options that emphasise creamy texture
- Prioritise thickness of milk
- Centre messaging around calcium and protein content
- Graph 16: % of select claims in (liquid) white milk, 2021-24
- Graph 17: % of consumers who are very satisfied with select features in plain milk, 2024
- Promote nutrition superiority with high/added calcium and protein
- Status quo: India lags behind its global counterparts in establishing ethical animal claims, but these are on the rise
- Graph 18: % of dairy drink launches with ethical – animal claim, 2019-24
- Graph 19: total share of dairy drink launches with ethical – animal claim, 2019-24
- New-age dairy brands are championing animal welfare
- Global dairy drink brands elevate animal welfare initiatives
- Pathway to premiumisation through health-oriented offerings
- India lags behind global counterparts in premiumising dairy drink offerings
- Graph 20: % of launches with premium claim in dairy drinks, 2021-24
- Take notes on premiumisation from South Korean dairy brands
- It's all in the mind: mental wellness is the key to premiumisation in dairy drinks
- Graph 21: health features consumers are willing to pay more for in dairy drinks, 2024
- Target flavoured milk/milkshake consumers with sleep-enhancing benefits
- Add sleep-aiding ingredients to flavoured milk
- Potential for yogurt drinks can unlock the gut-sleep axis
- Indulgence is a necessity for driving premiumisation in dairy drinks; promote mood enhancement and stress relief benefits via indulgence
- Graph 22: features consumers are willing to pay more for in dairy drinks, by city tier, 2024
- Provide mood-boosting benefits with ingredients and indulgence
- Launch alert: a Japanese yogurt drink offers multiple mental wellness benefits
- Appeal to Millennial women with beauty benefits
- Graph 23: consumption of select dairy drinks in the last three months, by select consumer segment, 2024
- Graph 24: select health feature consumers are willing to pay more for in dairy drinks, by gender and age, 2024
- Beauty fortification is here: focus on glowing skin and healthy hair benefits
- Graph 25: top five beauty benefits that encouraged or will encourage beauty supplement trial, 2023
- Frequency of sweet dairy drink consumption
- Sweet dairy drinks enjoy wide market reach, but the majority indulge infrequently
- Graph 26: frequency of consuming sweet packaged dairy drinks in the last three months, 2024
- Sweet dairy drink consumption declines with age and increases with urbanisation
- Graph 27: select frequency of sweet packaged dairy drinks in the last three months, by city tier, 2024
- Graph 28: select frequency of sweet packaged dairy drinks in the last three months, by age, 2024
- Flavour innovations for sweet dairy drinks
- Status quo: plain/unflavoured and chocolate flavour dominate; butterscotch and spices are trending
- Graph 29: top five flavour launches in flavoured dairy drinks, 2021-24
- Flavourscape: flavoured milk in India
- Flavourscape: yogurt drinks in India
- Flavourscape: RTD coffee in India
- Interpreting the map
- Mithai, fruit mix and chocolate combos can be the next flavour innovations for sweet dairy drinks
- Graph 30: flavour innovations of interest in packaged dairy drinks, 2024
- Cross-category inspiration: mithai flavours in ice cream
- Draw inspiration from indulgent cross-categories to innovate with chocolate combo flavours
- Graph 31: % of total share of chocolate flavour combination launches in desserts & ice cream, sweet biscuits/cookies and cakes, pastries & sweet goods, 2021-24
- Appeal to chocoholics with choco combo flavours
- Opportune time to innovate fruit flavour blends
- Graph 32: % of total share of fruit flavour combination launches, 2021-24
- Explore offbeat fruit flavour combinations
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appendix
- Report definition
- Consumer survey methodology
- Repertoire analysis
- Key driver analysis – correlation analysis
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