Ayo harnesses Chr. Hansen’s probiotics in almond-based yogurt

07 May 2021 --- US-based Ayo is capitalizing on the positive health associations around probiotics for its Almondmilk Yogurt offerings. The vegan alternatives contain Chr. Hansen’s Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis, or BB-12, which have many well-documented health benefits.

“When we started the development of Ayo yogurt, our ultimate goal was to make a great-tasting yogurt from our own almonds. We also did our homework regarding cultures and probiotics from the beginning. Ayo was one of the first yogurts to use the BB-12 culture, so Ayo was actually in the forefront of this development,” founder Matt Billings tells NutritionInsight.

Wins for immunity and digestive health
BB-12 has been described in close to 400 scientific publications. Studies support BB-12’s health benefits for adults, such as better immune and oral health, promoting healthy cholesterol levels in the body, and increased bowel movements for adults and the elderly.

The benefits of BB-12 for babies and children include better digestive health, fewer episodes of respiratory discomfort and better immune system support. Specific to babies, studies support significantly less fussing and crying and fewer instances of dry and scaly skin. Ayo’s protein content comes from almonds (Source: Ayo Yogurt). 

A smooth R&D process
The yogurts also contain Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus, which are both vegan.

Billings shares that there were no particular challenges that arose as a result of incorporating probiotics into plant-based yogurt. “It was all part of the overall product development process.”

According to Innova Market Insights, global launches of spoonable non-dairy yogurt have seen a 20 percent CAGR from 2016 to 2020. 

Among spoonable non-dairy yogurt launches, High/Source of Protein is one of the most popular health positionings, as is Digestive/Gut Health. However, spoonable non-dairy yogurt launches with a Digestive/Gut Health are falling, with the category seeing a CAGR of -28 percent from 2016 to 2020. 

“The market trends continue to show the growth of non-dairy yogurts in the marketplace. While the trends are encouraging for our brand, we simply want to make a product that consumers really enjoy eating. We are not trying to be an alternative to any other product,” says Billings.

A 2020 Innova Trends Survey also reported that 41 percent of US consumers are consuming plant-based dairy alternatives at least weekly.

Home-grown almonds
Billings argues that yogurts are absolutely not all created equal, nor should they be. The actual ingredients can vary widely, as well as the quality of those ingredients.  

“One of the key ingredients in Ayo yogurt is organic almonds. We have a direct relationship with those almonds because we grow them in our orchards in California. This intimate knowledge of our core ingredient is one of the ways that Ayo is different from other yogurts on the market,” he states.

Billings comes from a fourth-generation California family farm that, previous to Ayo, had relatively little experience with introducing a brand to consumers. 

“The challenges were present in every area of the business, but the passion for sharing our almonds with a greater audience was the guiding light that kept us working toward making Ayo a successful brand.”

Each cup of Ayo Almondmilk Yogurt contains the equivalent of 20 almonds. The offerings also feature a lower-sugar positioning. 

By Katherine Durrell, with additional reporting by Anni Schleicher