Dahi or yogurt is not new to Indians – it has been around since 500B.C. forming an integral part of India’s variety of cuisines, and both savory and sweet dishes are prepared from it. Globetrotting Indians, expatriates, as well as the more adventurous, have come to relish Greek yogurt, and a few companies in India have started manufacturing this variety of yogurt since it is trending in the metros of India.
Nestle, Hokey Pokey, and Epigamia have expanded their portfolios with Greek yogurt offerings in a variety of flavors: Natural, Alphonso Mango, Pineapple, Orange, Strawberry, Honey Banana, Mulberry, Minty Chaat, Imlee Chutney, and Khatta Meetha. (The last three especially for the Indian palate!)
Commenting on the launch, Arvind Bhandari, the general manager of dairy, Nestle India said “We have introduced this product for the first time in India. Globally, the Greek yogurt category came into prominence less than a decade back and in certain countries it has already captured a major share of the entire yogurt market. In India, this category is still at a nascent stage but we are confident that Nestle will lead the global trend for the Indian consumers soon.”
Anita Mirchandani quit her career in marketing to get a Master’s degree from NYU in Clinical Nutrition. While Greek yogurt was Anita’s go-to snack in the U.S., she couldn’t believe that it wasn’t freely available in India, when she took trips to visit friends and family. “It’s low fat, full of vitamin D, calcium, phosphorous and is a really good source of protein for vegetarians. It’s like this product ticked all the right boxes for India,” she said. Having consulted for American food brands Chobani, Siggi’s and Outshine Yogurt Bars, Mirchandani used her industry knowledge to create various flavors of Greek yogurt at Epigamia, reports brown paper bag.
Here are Mirchandani’s reasons why Greek yogurt is a healthy dietary staple as well as a creative addition to one’s beauty regime:
- Protein Boost
- Greek yogurt contains three times the amount of protein than regular unstrained yogurt
- Probiotics
- Greek Yogurt is packed with probiotics that help keep the digestive system in good health.
- Immunity Booster
- Riboflavin in Greek yogurt beefs up the immune system.
- Calcium Rich
- Especially important for children and pregnant women
- Skin Care
- A serving of Greek yogurt contains a little more than 1mg of zinc, which aids in alleviating acne and pimples. A DIY mask using Greek yogurt + a few drops of lemon or orange juice freshens skin. For soothing sunburn: Add a few drops of soothing chamomile essential oil to about a handful of Greek yogurt. Apply the mixture over affected areas and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing.
According to market research firm TechNavio, in the U.S. the Greek yogurt market will grow 5% each year to reach $4 billion in 2019. In 2007 this commodity was 1% of the U.S. yogurt market; currently it is more than 50% of the yogurt market share. This growth is due to the growing awareness of eating healthy, high protein food and reducing the consumption of sugar. Health conscious young consumers are substituting mayonnaise, butter and dips with Greek yogurt.
A recent study reported by DairyReporter, claims that eating dairy, especially yogurt, could go a long way toward reducing the risk of hypertension and stroke.
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
