European nations like France and Belgium performed less well.
“It is quite clear that the fastest growing market in 2012 – in absolute terms…was China,” Euromonitor head of global health and wellness research Ewa Hudson told attendees at the free William Reed Business Media online event hosted by our sister site, DairyReporter.
China added $1.6bn (€1.16bn) in 2012, while Brazil was next at $1.4bn (€1.02bn). India was third, adding about $650m (€473m) in 2012, followed by Mexico ($400m/€291m) and Russia ($300m/€218m).
“Even faster growth is expected to take place in 2013,” Hudson said, noting functional yoghurt and reduced fat dairy were driving sales.
She highlighted India as country with “massive” potential, especially as it modernises its retail channels.
Less healthy were the likes of France, Belgium, Portugal, Sweden and Greece which all recorded growth as they the economic and regulatory pinch.
Functional and fortified dairy and reduced fat dairy were expected to show the greatest absolute growth all the way through to 2018 and were the biggest sectors by far – with functional and fortified products buoyed substantially by infant formulas and drinks, the largest category.
But non-dairy milk alternatives were the fastest growing in 2012-13 at 25.9%.
Pre- and probiotic yoghurts were the second biggest grouping and outperforming non-probiotic yoghurt globally in growth terms.
The Healthy and Functional Dairy presentations are available for listening and free download for three months.
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