Liberté adds some crunch to the Greek yogurt category

Greek Yogurt has traditionally been the Kenny G. of the dairy aisle: frequently vanilla and incredibly smooth.

However, Quebec’s 79-year-old Liberté has added some crunch to the category with the introduction of a new product called Liberté Greek Seeds and Fruit, which adds sunflower, pumpkin and flax seeds to the mix.

The product comes in two flavours: strawberry and pineapple-banana. It is being sold in a 150g “bowl” format that the company says is 50% larger than standard single-serve yogurt.

Available nationally, it is being sold in two-packs, with a suggested retail price of $3.99.

Jenny Chiasson, communications manager for Liberté in Montreal, said the new product is a reflection of the so-called “multi-meal” trend, in which consumers are eschewing the traditional standard of three meals a day in favour of more frequent and smaller eating occasions.

Liberté Greek Seeds and Fruit is pitched at health-conscious consumers who enjoy an active lifestyle.

“It’s a tastier on-the-go option,” said Chiasson, who added that the larger container size (standard single-serve yogurt containers are 100g) makes it a perfect “mini-meal.”

“We’re not saying this is breakfast or a snack,” Chiasson told Canadian Grocer. “It’s an additional option if you want to have a snack or a light meal or a more substantial end-of-day snack before going out at night. We don’t want to dictate how people should consume our product.”

Liberte is supporting the new product with a national ad campaign featuring the tag line “Crunchy. Creamy. New.”

The company has also partnered with Quebec recording artist Dumas, who created the soundtrack for a 15-second TV spot and also appears in a one-minute “behind-the-scenes” video on YouTube.

The campaign is aimed at primary grocery shoppers, as well as foodies and health-conscious consumers. The TV elements are being supported by digital pre-roll, web banners and Facebook ads, while the brand also ran sampling programs at running events across the country during summer and fall. It is also being promoted via a new page on the Liberte.ca website.

The Liberté brand was established in Saint-Hubert, Que. in 1936, and was acquired by French multinational Yoplait in 2010 (General Mills subsequently acquired a 51% interest in Yoplait in 2011).

Chiasson says that Liberté is the leading Greek yogurt brand in Quebec and the second leading brand in Canada.