Sneaky Greek yogurt change

MrsStepford

Fage Total Greek strained yogurt was the real made in Greece deal. Other strained yogurts had to be called Greek-style yogurt.

This week, I noticed that the Fage Total yogurt I would buy (the full fat one) had been renamed on some supermarket websites, as 'natural Greek recipe strained yogurt'. Ichecked out the product photos and the additional info and looked at other varieties. 

Fage lists an address in Luxembourg as their manufacturing base and on some of the websites, the milk used to make the yogurt is stated as milk from the EU. 

Milk from the EU. manufactured to a Greek recipe, in Luxembourg is NOT Greek yogurt..The price hasn't been lowered however.

You're not paying more for a Greek yogurt, but for the Fage Total brand. 

You can now buy Yeo Valley organic Greek-style yogurt from Somerset, 450g for 1.65  or less, instead of the non Greek Fage at 2.75 for 500g. 

I don't know whether this is Brexit-related and whether EU member states are getting Greek yogurt. Or whether it's a supply issue (not enough cows in Greece ?)  and Greek yogurt is being reserved for Greeks. 

I just think it's really sneaky.

I'll be buying the Yeo Valley organic Greek style yogurt  in future and saving £1.10 per pot. That's a saving for us of £57.20 over a year. 

maisie_cat

Thank you, it's one of my pet hates when sneaky changes are made like that.
It usually happens when a small niche company is bought by the big guys and the first thing they do is change the recipe on cost saving grounds. 

maman

I'm not a connoisseur of yogurt but I have enjoyed this. Full fat version also available. Perhaps worth checking out? 🤔

Brooklea Greek Yoghurt 0% Fat 500g | ALDI

I checked in Aldi today and this one is a definitely labelled Greek yoghurt whereas the 'pouring' yoghurts were all Greek style. 

MDMD

maman said:

I'm not a connoisseur of yogurt but I have enjoyed this. Full fat version also available. Perhaps worth checking out? 🤔

Brooklea Greek Yoghurt 0% Fat 500g | ALDI

I checked in Aldi today and this one is a definitely labelled Greek yoghurt whereas the 'pouring' yoghurts were all Greek style. 

The way to check is to look at the EC code on the pot that appears on most dairy products. This is from my Aldi Greek yogurt pot, I think it’s from the same factory as the premium products from the other supermarkets as it has the same lids:

MDMD

Looks like they are now making it in the Netherlands

https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1172566/the-effects-of-fage-s-new-unit-in-the-netherlands/

jon81uk

Fage's UK website doesn't mention that it is Greek Recipe at all. Just that it is strained yoghurt.
FAGE Total 5% | Fage UK

tastyhog

Most of the big names are a waste of money anyway, tesco creamfields Greek style yogurt 500g for 45p is fantastic, one of the best I've had, super thick and creamy, like seriously thick. 

squirrelchops2

The costco greek yoghurt is the best tasting one I have found. £2.50 for 500g

Rosa_Damascena

squirrelchops2 said:

The costco greek yoghurt is the best tasting one I have found. £2.50 for 500g

(((Faints at the price!!)))

arnoldy

"lists an address in Luxembourg as their manufacturing base"

I expect that's for tax reasons, the manufacturing is done in NL. Yeo Valley manufactures and pays taxes in UK and does not use a "Dutch Sandwich" or "Double Irish" accounting method to reduce tax as far as I am aware.

arnoldy

BTW the same "deceit" applies to many of these fancy continental beers - Italian, Czech, French, Dutch etc - majority are brewed in Slough or Northampton or some such. Very few are "premium imported" but that's the impression they give.