First milk is looking to tap the trend for cooking with dairy with the launch of a quark-based cooking sauces range.

The three-strong range - under the dairy co-op’s Lake District Dairy Co brand - comprises tikka, garlic & herb and tomato & basil variants.

First Milk has yet to secure listings, but said it was talking to retailers. The rsp for the products would be £1.75 for a 200g tub, it added.

First Milk is targeting health-conscious consumers looking for convenient ways to use dairy with the range.

The sauces were made with quark soft cheese, which meant they had “half the calories and up to treble the protein of competitor products,” said marketing director David Young. “Lake District Dairy Co cooking sauces fit perfectly into consumer needs for healthy natural alternatives for day-to-day recipes.”

The sauces were named ‘best brand extension’ at the Global Dairy Innovation awards last week. “Our goal is to drive more stable returns for our farmers by delivering great tasting, nutritious food,” said Young.

First Milk launched quark soft cheese in natural, vanilla and lemon flavours in 2012.