From our special envoy in the hype,
It seems a long time ago when Iceland only evoked the aureole borealis, the Vikings, the hot baths in front of landscapes of ice and the supporters clapping during Euro 2016 (the post of Gignac, one thinks about it Again). The remote island now has another imaginary up its sleeve, and not the least: the skyr. Whether you consume it or not, you couldn’t have missed this yogurt while shopping, given how much it has invaded the dairy and dessert shelves in recent years. Count a 64% increase in sales in 2021 alone, in a yogurt sector that is down slightly (-0.4%), according to the IrL panelist.
To understand how the skyr has made flanks, vanilla creams, chocolate mousses and clafoutis old fashioned, just look at its nutritional values. No fat, almost no carbohydrates, and a protein concentrate. Between 10 and 12 grams per 100 grams of skyr, all for less than 60 calories. A standard-bearer of “healthy” fashion that is surging on our plates, particularly since the Covid-19. “It ticks all current expectations, especially those of athletes, young people who want to cut – weight loss while gaining muscle – but also women, who often lack protein”, list Marie-Eve Laporte, teacher-researcher at the IAE Paris-Sorbonne and specialist in eating behavior. Another argument of the time, the skyr – in its natural version – is a product almost unprocessed, composed of milk and lactic ferments.
For a few more proteins
“It’s also practical for athletic vegetarians, who don’t have a lot of choice in low-calorie high-protein foods,” adds Clémentine Hugol-Gential, professor and specialist in contemporary food issues at the University of Burgundy. The product also shows its practicality at certain times of the day that are not conducive to taking protein, for example at breakfast and snack: “The French breakfast is criticized for its high carbohydrate content and its virtual absence protein, skyr is a good intermediary, changing habits less than three fried eggs, for example,” continues Marie-Eve Laporte.
Praised by fitness influencers, nutrition blogs and “go muscle” Youtubers, the skyr “now carries a whole imagination, that of the ”super-food””, explains Clémentine Hugol-Gential. Almonds, chia seeds, pure cocoa are also part of this myth according to which certain foods would combine several virtues at the top for health. Another superfood invoked, granola… which can be partly composed of skyr. A somewhat fantasized “super” reputation: “Yes, skyr is quite healthy, but you shouldn’t overdo it either,” explains the Dijon professor. Which reminds in case the obvious: be careful not to eat only that.
L’anti-camembert
But you don’t conquer the desserts & dairy products section just with a good protein level. The success of the skyr therefore has other explanations. First, its rather neutral and light taste, again sticking to the trend. “The consumer is moving towards products with a taste that is not too distinctive or assertive, a product that is not too noticeable and which is not strong in the mouth”, indicates Pierre-Louis Desprez, general manager of Kaos, a firm specializing in innovation and brands. For our expert, it’s a bit like the anti-camembert, this cheese “too strong and therefore in freefall in sales. »
And for those who, on the contrary, find the yoghurt too bland, it is possible, as with all natural yoghurt, to customize it by adding jam, fruit, honey. There are also versions marketed with flavors of red fruits, vanilla, mango… Everything is provided for consumption.
Travel Travel
Whatever the brand, you can’t miss the word “Iceland” on the packaging of a skyr. And it’s not for nothing. “As for the avocado, the somewhat exotic origin of the skyr contributes to its appeal”, supports Clémentine Hugol-Gential. Marie-Eve Laporte confirms: “The Icelandic side is part of the interest in world cuisines, the desire for variety, to discover new lands, new sensations. A ”normal” yogurt does not have this texture, for example. »
For a marketing pro like Pierre-Louis Desprez, this Icelandic side is a godsend: “These are new stories to tell, another imagination to titillate. It’s quite unexpected, a dairy product coming from the North, most of these foods being rather from the Mediterranean. We then tell the story of the artisanal recipe of the modest Icelander, “which makes it possible to hide the current global reproach: that of industrialization and globalization. »
But like any story, it is sometimes too good. After bringing the skyr to the nude, many fitness influencers are now denouncing its price, arguing that for three times less, a packet of 0% Swiss rolls has more or less the same nutritional virtues. Iceland has as good a taste as it has a good back.