Müller is hoping to boost sales of its struggling Müllerlight brand by adding a range of layered real fruit products to the low fat yoghurt portfolio.

Müllerlight Layers, which consist of creamy-tasting yoghurt with a bottom layer of real-fruit compôte, will hit shelves at the end of this month and will be available in two flavours: strawberry and blackcurrant & raspberry. A 200g single pot will be priced at 42p, while a six pack will be priced at £2.18.

The company said the newcomer offered a twist that would provide "real food values and a more luxurious eating experience in a category that can be seen as lacking interest".

Marketing director Chris McDonough said: "The Layers line provides a new range of flavours and textures, while the packaging has been designed to make the chiller cabinet experience easier to navigate with enhanced food values."

The launch, which is the fourth Müllerlight sub-range, will be supported by a £2.5m poster and press campaign in May and June. The Layers range will be joining the Fruity, Smooth and Dessert Style lines on shelf in Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and Waitrose.

The company said it expected Müllerlight Layers to perform in line with the Dessert Style offering, launched in January 2005 and now worth £16m [IRI year to 3 December, 2006].

Müllerlight is in need of a boost. Although it is the second-bestselling

yoghurt and pot desserts brand, it slipped 17.4% to £114.1m in the year to October 2006, according to ACNielsen, despite the brand being the focus of NPD and advertising activity early in the year.

Earlier this month the dairy giant threw Simply Desserts, a combination of fruit compôte, thick Greek-style yoghurt and a crunchy topping, into the mix, a launch backed with a £1.5m campaign.