Jogurty Magda becomes the first Polish dairy company to fully switch to plant-based
Sales of dairy alternatives in Poland increased by 26 percent in 2019 alone, as Poles are more and more willing to use plant-based milk, yoghurt or butter substitutes.
6 July 2020
3 minute read
Now, Jogurty Magda, a Polish producer of the plant-based yoghurt Planton, has announced that it will move to fully plant-based production.
Dairy alternatives are becoming an area in which traditional dairy companies and cooperatives are increasingly willing to invest, however, the decision by Jogurty Magda (established in 1991) to move to fully plant-based production is nonetheless a pioneering decision on a Polish and European scale.
This follows the decision by American brand Elmhurst to withdraw from milk production in 2017, in favour of beverages and cream based on plant-based ingredients. The British brand BOL Foods, a producer of ready-made dishes, also gradually phased out animal ingredients, to the point of becoming fully plant-based in 2018.
Jogurty Magda has gradually transformed its production since the appearance of their first coconut yoghurt, Planton, in late 2017. This yoghurt was chosen by Polish consumers as the best plant-based product of 2018, and a year later their success was repeated by the plant-based cream from Jogurty Magda taking second place in a public vote run by RoślinnieJemy.
Maciej Otrębski, Strategic Partnerships Manager at RoślinnieJemy, a Polish organisation promoting plant-based alternatives to businesses and consumers, said: “ The decision to focus fully on plant-based production is a bold step, which confirms not only the broad perspective of the Jogurty Magda’s team, but also indicates the real commercial potential of the market of plant-based yoghurts, drinks or cheeses.”
According to research company Mintel, 20 percent of Poles started to perceive the plant-based diet as more attractive during the pandemic. At the same time, 54 percent of Poles claim that plant products are better for the environment than meat or dairy products. However, the Green Generation report indicates that only 8 percent of Poles perceive the plant-based diet as an action that will improve the environment. The improved availability of meat or dairy substitutes already makes it easier for consumers to make more sustainable and environmentally friendly decisions, and the key group of recipients is flexitarians.
Magdalena Kubit, Managing Director of Jogurty Magda, said: “The decision to make Jogurty Magda a fully plant-based brand is a natural consequence of the continuous development of our product portfolio, which for more than two years has been dominated by yoghurt and cream based on coconut milk. Our products are for everyone. They end up on the tables of Poles, Czechs, Slovaks and consumers in other countries, who, for various reasons, want to limit the consumption of animal products, while not giving up their favourite flavours. I am glad that from now on the actions we take will be fully consistent.”
The company's move towards fully plant-based production will involve a gentle rebranding - the previously known Jogurty Magda (Magda Yoghurts) will be replaced by the Magda Roślinna (Plant-based Magda) brand and a new logotype. All those interested in a more plant-based diet will find Planton yoghurts and creams in most retail chains.
