Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods is pulling its hybrid range of retail products launched in the UK under the Smug brand last year.
The business unit of Kerry Dairy Ireland is planning to launch a range of dairy snacks products next year.
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The company claimed a “category first” when it rolled out Smug, combining oats with traditional dairy. The six-strong line-up featured three cheeses, two butters and an alt-milk.
At the time, marketing director Victoria Southern said the innovative products were aimed at “creating a new way for dairy lovers to do dairy”.
However, after UK listings with the likes of Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, the Smug hybrid range is being phased out in favour of a full-blown dairy snacking range under the same brand.
A spokesperson for Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods confirmed the hybrid range is no longer under production and will only remain in stores while stocks last.
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By GlobalDataThe new range will be rolled out in January, the spokesperson said, declining to provide specific details on retail listings.
Southern, who holds the title of strategy, marketing, and innovation director at Kerry Dairy Ireland, said of the hybrid demise: “While our dairy and oat-blended range delivered on taste and function, categories like milk and butter are difficult to disrupt.
“Our focus is now on leaning into Smug’s strengths to deliver new products that are great in taste, stand out with playful branding and highlight clear nutritional benefits. These are best applied in categories where consumers are more curious and open to trial.”
The upcoming line-up from Smug, now described as an “adult-snacking dairy brand”, includes: two flavours of Cheese & Crunch – sea salt and rosemary crackers, and barbecue corn bites; and ‘Quarkies’ in two variants – raspberry and vanilla.
Kerry also owns the Strings & Things cheese brand, along with Dairygold cheeses and Pure Dairy-Free spreads, among others.
The new Smug range is designed to meet the increasing demand for protein snacking, along with “portion-controlled options that feel both indulgent and nutritious”, Kerry said.
Southern added: “With our new selection of offerings, we’re bringing something genuinely new to the category: creamy, delicious dairy paired with bold flavours and formats that feel fresh, modern and fun.
“This launch puts Smug at the forefront of the growing protein snacking movement, with products that are as feel-good as they are flavour-packed.”
The marketing director told Just Food last year that Smug hybrids were “a great option for anyone looking to make more conscious purchasing decisions in terms of health and sustainability, without compromising on taste”.
She added: “We are not trying to ‘wean’ consumers off traditional dairy. What we have done is create a new way for dairy lovers to enjoy dairy with a product range that is fit for the future.”
Similar efforts have also been marked by failures but also some successes.
Arla Foods rolled out Arla Milk & Oats in 2018 but the product was later discontinued. Family-owned French business Triballat Noyal introduced the Pâquerette & Compagnie hybrid milk line in 2021 but that was also later withdrawn.
Dairy heavyweight Danone, meanwhile, launched the more successful Dairy & Plants Blend baby formula, which it claimed was an industry first, in 2022.
The previous year, The Laughing Cow brand under the Bel Group unveiled hybrid cheese spreads combining traditional dairy with beans, chickpeas and lentils – The Laughing Cow Blends.
