South Korea’s fermented milk and dairy market is experiencing a significant shift as major dairy companies redesign Greek yogurt packaging and formulations into drinkable bottles and squeeze pouches. According to market research firm Euromonitor, the domestic fermented milk market grew from 1조8015억원 in 2018 to over 2조원대로 last year, driven by expanding consumer demand for high-protein and low-sugar options.
Market Growth and Shifting Consumer Demand
Traditional Greek yogurt features a thick, dense texture with reduced moisture and higher solid content, requiring consumers to eat it with a spoon out of a cup. However, sustained strong sales of legacy spoonable products have prompted manufacturers to expand their product lineups. Pulmuone Danone announced that cumulative sales of its “Pulmuone Yogurt Greek” surpassed 5억개를 in March, followed by an additional 4000만개가 sold over a four-month period ending in late July. Similarly, Seoul Milk sold over 100만개를 of its “Farmer’s Greek” within roughly three months of its May launch, according to company data.
Dairy manufacturers are translating these sales figures into portable formats that eliminate the need for cups and spoons. New products maintain protein content and thickness while allowing consumers to drink or squeeze the yogurt on the go.
Product Innovations in Drinkable and Pouch Formats
According to the dairy industry, Maeil Dairies sold 500만개가 of its 150ml “Maeil Bio Greek Yogurt Drink” lineup since its April launch, while hy recorded 150만개가 sales for its two “Super 100 Greek Drink” varieties within three months of release. Combined, the two companies have sold 650만개다 of drinkable Greek yogurt.
Both companies use distinct nutritional formulations. Maeil Dairies applies a lactose-free method containing 6.6 to 7.3 grams of protein per serving, offering unflavored plain, reduced-sugar plain, and apple varieties enriched with LGG lactic acid bacteria and zinc. Conversely, hy utilizes a proprietary combination of three patented probiotics tailored for Greek varieties to achieve a heavier texture than standard drinkable yogurts, packing 6 grams of protein and 9 grams of dietary fiber into a single bottle.
Companies are also updating spoonable formats for portability. Maeil Dairies offers a 120g pouch-type “Maeil Bio Greek Yogurt To Go” in plain and honey flavors. Seoul Milk added a 120g pouch format, “Farmer’s Fresh Blueberry,” in July to sit alongside its existing 150g and 400g cup products, replacing spoons with direct-squeeze pouch spouts.
Customizable Textures and Industry Outlook
Consumers can now adjust product textures directly at home. Greek yogurt specialty brand YOZM offers a 1.8-liter “Drinking Greek Yogurt Starter” that can be consumed directly as a beverage or filtered at home using a strainer to extract whey and create a thicker, spreadable texture.
Competition in the Greek yogurt sector has expanded beyond basic nutrition labels like protein and sugar content to focus directly on consumption convenience. “We launched the drinkable products so that consumers can enjoy our existing high-protein, lactose-free Greek yogurt conveniently anywhere,” a Maeil Dairies representative stated, noting that demand for taste, nutrition, and convenience is driving sales.