Arla Foods is making its long-awaited UK debut as a consumer brand in its own right with the launch of an innovative new yoghurt product targeted specifically at teenagers.

It is targeting 1.5 million unit sales in the first year for Arla Squeeze (rsp: 89p for a 190g pack), which comes in a screw-top pouch that allows the yoghurt to be squeezed directly into the mouth.

Arla is hoping this will make the yoghurt, which comes in two flavours pineapple & mango and strawberry & vanilla, appeal to young consumers looking for a cheap yet healthy snack to eat on the go.

“We found that the yoghurt market lacks a product for teenagers and we believe Arla Squeeze, with its fun, brightly coloured and innovative packaging, will bridge the gap between children’s and standard yoghurts,” said future creations project manager Belinda Parkinson.

“We also believe the yoghurt will appeal to young adults as an on-the-go snack that is filling, yet low in fat.”

The launch of Arla Squeeze, which contains 2% fat, marks the first time Arla Foods has launched a product under its own name rather than one of its flagship consumer brands such as Cravendale, Lurpak or Anchor.

As previously revealed by The Grocer, the company had been looking for some time to make the Arla name more consumer-facing, and last year started to display the Arla logo at the end of its TV adverts for Cravendale, Anchor and Lactofree. Cravendale milk has also recently started carrying the Arla logo front of pack rather than on the side.

Arla Foods CEO Peter Lauritzen said at the time he wanted to increase consumer awareness of the Arla brand from virtually zero to 60% within five years, following in the footsteps of brands like Unilever. “Arla Squeeze is a key part of our awareness-building strategy,” added Parkinson.

Arla Squeeze is being rolled out across the mults later this month.