And now one of Ireland’s best-known producers – Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods- have launched a unique range of blended oat and dairy products that contain up to up to 40% less saturated fat and save up to 54% CO2e emissions per kilogram than traditional dairy.  The new range is called SMUG Dairy, and is indicative of the Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods’ innovative approach.

And as our diets have changed, and the environmental impact of food production has become a key focus for firms like Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods,  they have been able to react by drawing on their long expertise and their popularity – if it has a Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods logo on it, customers are willing to give products a try.

Victoria Southern is the Strategy, Marketing and Innovation  director at Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods and has played a key part in rolling out new ideas.

“ The business is built on a strong dairy heritage spanning over 50 years, as well as a deep connection to our 3,000 Irish family farms and milk suppliers,” she explains.

With the cattle industry under pressure to cut methane –  a key element in the climate crisis, and to look at the land use needed for large farms, the dairy industry has been under scrutiny. 

It is something Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods takes seriously.

She said: “We have world-class sustainability credentials. Our low-carbon dairy comes from some of the world’s richest grazing land and is produced by a network of Irish family farms. In the last 50 years, Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods has combined belief and vision as we continue our commitment of delighting and nourishing customers, and we have risen to the challenge of evolving markets with the latest introduction of SMUG Dairy highlighting our strategic and innovative approach”.

Not only reacting to consumerism trends but helping shape healthier lifestyles and a greener world is a mission Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods does not take lightly.

Southern said: “Our vision is to ‘re-imagine dairy through innovation and sustainability to inspire a better future’. As one of the world’s leading dairy businesses, it’s important we are at the forefront of consumer behaviour and emerging trends, and we are committed to providing sustainable nutrition for generations to come. Consumer research found that 42% of consumers are currently actively reducing their dairy intake, it was from this insight that SMUG Dairy was born, creating a healthier, more sustainable alternative to traditional dairy.” 

The idea to combine the best of their traditional dairy products with techniques for replacements saw them create SMUG Dairy.

Southern said: “It is a healthier, more sustainable way to do dairy. SMUG Dairy combines the goodness of dairy and plants to deliver the deliciously creamy taste of dairy with the additional benefits of containing up to 40% less saturated fat and reducing CO2e emissions by up to 54% compared to traditional dairy.”

This need to tackle emissions has been carefully audited, she adds, and they monitor every step of production so they can always seek improvements.

“To put our results into perspective, we have compared the CO2e emissions for each of our products to their traditional dairy counterparts, from cradle to manufacturing gate to understand the potential carbon emissions reduction made achievable by switching to our SMUG Dairy products,” she adds.

“ For example, by switching to SMUG Dairy Blended Oat & Dairy Cheddar for a year, you could save enough carbon emissions to charge an electric car four times over. This means you can enjoy the same creamy taste you love while knowing you’re reducing your carbon footprint, one deliciously creamy bite (or sip) at a time..”

And Kerry Dairy Consumer Foods has the ability to make a serious impact through such innovation. There are 3,000 family owned farms supplying Ireland’s Kerry Dairy Company, the amount of collected knowledge runs into thousands of years of animal husbandry.

Kerry Dairy Ireland, as the group is known, was formed more than 50 years ago to bring together Irish farmers into a trading co-op.

Kerry Dairy’s traditional products – Irish butter, milk and cheese – draws on this expertise, and the Irish climate that is richly nourishing in terms of grasses and other cattle feed.

Their butter comes from the southwest, taken from solely grass fed cows looked after on smaller family farms. With its deep golden colour and its spreadable texture, it has long been a favourite in the UK as well as Ireland. Their cheddar cheese comes from the same region and enjoys a similar hue. 

The Kerry Group today has a leading role in all manner of food for the kitchen wizard at home to the big catering firms who demand consistent quality in their ingredients: It provides everything from rubs and marinades for meats to stocks and broths.

The final recipe for the groundbreaking dairy and oats combination came after kitchen work and taste trials.

“We tried a multitude of different plant and dairy combinations, but oats bring a natural creamy taste and texture and are a perfect fit when paired with our dairy counterparts,” adds Southern.

“Our target consumer is what we are calling the ‘conscious dairy lover’. “For conscious dairy lovers, SMUG Dairy offers the same creamy taste that can be lacking in dairy alternatives, with less saturated fat and less CO2e emissions than traditional dairy products. It is a great option for anyone looking to make more conscious purchasing decisions in terms of health and sustainability, without compromising on taste.”