As an ambitious and innovation driven dairy company, Unimilk has added LGG® and with it a new dimension to its popular Bio Balance range of fermented dairy products.

A comparatively new player in the Russian dairy market, Unimilk is making a fresh and forward-looking foray into functional products as just one of its development goals.

“Valio is an ideal technology partner since we share a vision to bring unique and innovative products to market delivering genuine health benefits to consumers. LGG®, the world’s most researched probiotic bacteria, ticks all the right boxes,” says Unimilk Premium Brands Director Mikhail Glukhov.

LGG® the Unimilk way

“For the consumer, daily use of Bio Balance with LGG® improves digestion, counteracts inappropriate nutrition consequences and helps to restore your life force in the most natural way,” Mikhail explains. “And for us, LGG® presents the opportunity to boost Unimilk’s image as a provider of innovative functional products.”

Bio Balance is a key contributor to our brand capital, bringing together a broad assortment of innovative dairy products and smart packaging concepts. The products are marketed under the banner of daily health maintenance, a headline value which the addition of LGG® significantly strengthens. Valio’s probiotic is a perfect fit with the Bio Balance concept and helps reinforce consumers’ established reasons to believe in, buy and benefit from the products.

Novel applications for LGG®

Kefir and Tan fermented milk drinks originated in the Caucasus region and Unimilk has added a modern twist to these traditional products, introducing Bio Balance varieties enriched with LGG®.

Kefir is produced by adding a fermented grain culture to milk and is a perfect medium for probiotics as well as being rich in proteins, minerals and vitamins. Tan is made from fermented milk by diluting it with water and adding a hint of salt, creating a refreshing drink that’s ideal in the summer, too. Both combine lactic acid and alcohol fermentation. These beverages were heavily promoted in Russia in the 1970s and kefir in particular has become an essential part of the daily family diet, while drinkable yoghurts are a comparatively new product category there.

Broadening consumer appeal

While the primary target group for functional dairy products in Russia is generally considered to be women aged 18–35, we are extending that base to include everyone who understands the importance of a healthy lifestyle, of which Bio Balance functional products form a natural part. The Bio Balance message is communicated largely via television and will be supported by other marketing channels including the Internet and traditional print media.

Working with the science and health care communities

Unimilk is set to make its presence felt at conferences, in science publications and through cooperation with key opinion leaders to help raise the profile of Bio Balance LGG® in a medical context. Valio’s support and its specialists’ knowledge and experience are of real value in launching and sustaining this initiative. The fact that LGG® has a proven track record with health care professionals will prove a significant advantage in communicating with the local medical and research community.

Bio Balance with LGG® product packages carry the revamped Valio LGG® licensing logo which further assists Unimilk in marketing communications, helping to get the message across to stakeholders by backing the products with Valio’s expertise and know-how.

“Search the best in milk, find the best in people”

Unimilk was established in 2002 and is the second largest dairy manufacturer in Russia and first in the Ukraine. Its stated mission is to improve quality of life through selecting the best dairy products, with a presence in the major market segments and increasingly in value-added products.

The company employs 14,000 people with 32 production facilities, including five plants producing items enriched with LGG®, and net sales of 40 billion roubles in 2008. The company’s LGG® portfolio currently includes six different flavours of drinkable yoghurt, three varieties of Kefir including fat free, as well as another traditional Russian fermented milk drink, Tan. New categories such as spoonable yoghurts and quark desserts are soon to be launched.