The dairy checkoff and General Mills created YoBark, a yogurt-based snack designed to give families a tasty option and expand yogurt’s presence in the snacking category. YoBark is refrigerated and combines the creaminess of yogurt with the crunchy texture of Nature Valley Granola, offering a multi-sensory flavor experience. It’s already available in places like Safeway and Walmart and will reach more retailers in the months ahead. Dairy Management Inc. has been working with General Mills on this concept since 2021, providing consumer insights on why “tweens” (ages 12-13) have decreased their yogurt consumption. DMI also provided new product concept development, package design, and research and development support. “Recognizing this trend, we partnered with General Mills and co-funded research to develop product concepts that would appeal to this demographic,” says Chris Urban, vice president of growth platforms and partnerships for DMI. ‘The lead concept that emerged from the collaboration is YoBark.”