From exotic treat to fridge staple: Vintage & discontinued yogurt brands from the 1950s and beyond
Yogurt’s history in the United States dates back to the early 20th century, when it was primarily consumed by immigrant communities. Only after brands like Dannon started to actively market yogurt as a health food in the 1940s did its popularity begin to spread.
Ads claimed yogurt could help with everything from digestion to longevity. In the 1970s and 80s, the rise of the fitness craze gave yogurt yet another boost. Nowadays, Americans enjoy a dizzying array of yogurt options, from Greek to Skyr to plant-based.
Discontinued yogurt brands: Gone but not forgotten
Not all yogurt brands stood the test of time, however. Does anyone remember when Früsh, the shakeable yogurt beverage, hit the stores? What about Dannon’s Sprinkl’ins, a yogurt designed to attract kids with its fun sugary mix-ins? Or Jell-O Jigglers Bits & Yogurt?
Yoplait’s Custard Style Yogurt was another fan favorite that was discontinued. Known for its creamy texture, this yogurt was unique in a market dominated by fruit-on-the-bottom or blended varieties. In a twist of fate so cruel that a petition was launched, Trix Yogurt, a colorful, kid-friendly option, also met its end (but apparently the petition worked, because it re-launched in 2021).
One trend that hasn’t left us is the light/nonfat/fat-free versions of popular yogurt flavors — a variety that still takes up a lot of space on supermarket shelves even now.
Remembering vintage yogurt, discontinued yogurt brands & and the ads that lured us in
Below, we’re remembering some of our favorite yogurts from days gone by through the pages that marketed it to us. As you’ll see, some of these brands have discontinued once-favorite flavors, others have tweaked their branding over the years, while others — like Del Monte’s revolutionary canned yogurt cups that didn’t even have to be refrigerated — have disappeared entirely from the market.
And while on your stroll down yogurt’s memory lane, take note of our personal favorite ad campaign on this page: The clever Yoplait ads starting in the late 1970s that had celebrity spokespeople who took one bite — and then were suddenly “cultured” (so to speak) and randomly speaking fluent French. See below for the silliness!
1950s Yami Yogurt brand (1951)
Yes, everybody is talking about Yogurt. But what everybody doesn’t know is this: Yami Yogurt pioneered the Yogurt Health Habit in America. Yet the idea behind Yami Yogurt is not new. In fact, it’s 4,000 years old.
Primitive people in all lands … wise beyond their time … have always looked to such a cultured milk food as the magic key to Better Meals, Better Health, Longer Life.
Yami Yogurt is a food, not a medicine. It brings you the minerals, the proteins, the vitamins of milk; yet it is easier to digest than milk. It is rich in nourishment yet low in calories: a full 8-oz. container supplies only 170 calories. Hence it is non-fattening.
The friendly lactic acids in YamiYogurt go right to work; help to police the gastro-intestinal tract; help to keep the stomach sweet and clean; help to keep you young, keep you fit, keep you regular!
Yami Yogurt has a refreshing, tart taste all its own. Many people say it’s great when they eat it straight. Others prefer it sweetened. So they add a bit of sugar, honey, cinnamon, preserves. Others use it to top off fresh or canned fruits, cereals and what-not. Still others use it for out-of-this-world salad dressings … or to put new taste-adventure into Everyday Cooking. But, no matter how you eat it. it’s still Yami and it’s still yummy. Best of all, you’re eating your way to health with every spoonful!
1970s yogurt brands – Strawberry flavor
Vintage Brands shown include Breyers, Dannon, Light n Lively, Royal Dairy, Sugar Lo, Look-Fit, Axelrod’s, Colombo, Maya Youghurt, Swiss Parfait, Continental Royal
Breyers yogurt – Red raspberry (1979)
But not only did they show off the yogurt, they spoke with delight about how wonderful Yoplait was… and they did it all en Français.
Vintage Yoplait yogurt: Stars go on the tube (1979)
From an article by Martin Rossman in the Clarion-Ledger (Jackson, Mississippi) August 30, 1979
Jack Klugman speaking French? Sure, and next you’ll see Muhammad Ali dancing with a ballet company.
No, really, you’ll see the actor in a commercial these days pushing Yoplait yogurt, which has its origins in France. Klugman can be seen seated in a kitchen trying the product. An off-camera announcer says: “The yogurt of France is called Yoplait. Some Americans don’t know about it… yet.”
He goes on to say that when Americans do try it they find it different and creamy, with real fruit. He adds: “It’s just amazing what happens when a real American gets a little taste of French culture.”
And suddenly out of Klugman’s mouth comes: “Ce Yogurt Yoplait est fantastique, merveilleux, sensationnel, cremeux, natural.”
Actress Loretta Swit of M*A*S*H and Dodgers manager Tom Lasorda carry on much the same.
The product also is being promoted by a large yellow hot-air balloon and by sampling at festivals, marathons, shopping centers and large businesses.
GET THESE VINTAGE YOPLAIT PIE RECIPES: Strawberry supreme, lemon chiffon & double fruit fantastique pie recipes from the ’80s
Jack Klugman: “Yoplait est fantastique” (1981)
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The yogurts of Yoplait, with Tommy Lasorda
AMERICA GETS ITS FIRST TASTE OF FRENCH CULTURE.
With a yogurt called Yoplait. A one hundred percent natural yogurt with active yogurt cultures imported from France. And real fruit mixed throughout. And a taste — so incredibly smooth and creamy our first spoonful left us feeling “Merveilleux! Fantastique! Sensationnel! Fabuleux et incroyable!”
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THEN WE GOT OUR FIRST TASTE OF “CUSTARD STYLE” YOGURT.
Next, Yoplait gave us a yogurt even the most imaginative gourmet couldn’t have dreamed up. “Custard Style” yogurt. A yogurt with all natural ingredients and real fruit puree blended into a texture that’s so wonderfully thick it might be mistaken for fine French custard. The whole idea was so deliciously new So “Revolutionnaire!”
Vintage Yoplait: Get a little taste (1983)
There was once a great innocence in America. Our people had experienced no yogurt of sensational taste. We knew mainly of tart-tasting yogurts with fruit preserves on the bottom. Suddenly that all changed.
THEREAFTER AMERICA WOKE UP TO “BREAKFAST YOGURT.”
Just as the ever-insatiable American was wondering, “What more could Yoplait give us?,” Yoplait answered with walnuts, and chewy wheat grain, and many varieties of real fruits. All of which Yoplait put into “Breakfast Yogurt.” This awakened America to a yogurt so substantially more in taste and texture, each spoonful was truly “Extraordinaire!”
NOW THOSE OF US WHO DREAM OF TASTING ALL OF LIFE’S GREATEST PLEASURES CAN ONLY WONDER… WHAT’S NEXT?
Vintage Yoplait yogurt ad: Teach you French (1985)
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Discontinued Dannon Hearty Nuts & Raisins yogurt (1986)
Vintage 80s Honey Hill Farms nonfat yogurts (1987)
Vintage 80s yogurt – Dannon Light n Lively (1987)
Teri Garr tells you why to eat Yoplait yogurt (1987)
In her own words, Teri Garr tells you why you should eat new thicker, creamier Yoplait.
“First of all, because now Yoplait is thicker. Second of all, because its creamier. Third of all, because it’s still 100% natural and really very good for you. Fourth of all, because to me, Yoplait tastes better than all those other yogurts. And fifth of all, because… well, just because.”
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Weight Watchers fruity yogurt with Nutrasweet (1989)
Cathy (comic script character by Cathy Guisewite) for Knudsen Light nonfat yogurt (1989)
Knudsen Cal 70 yogurt cups with aspartame sweetener (1989)
1980s yogurt brands: Yoplait Light Yogurt (1989)
At last. Finally, Mmmm. It’s about time. And only 90 calories. Introducing New Yoplait Light. With NutraSweet.
Only 90 little calories. And all the wonderful, creamy taste you’d expect from Yoplait Mmm. Yes. New Yoplait Light. The Light at the end of the tunnel.
Discontinued yogurt brands: Del Monte Yogurt Cups were awesome snacks for 80s kids
After a little tinkering, the product was released nationwide in late 1989. One of the biggest changes was the packaging, which included new names for the flavors to make them sound more cool and awesome.
By that, we mean they literally added the most ’80s adjectives to the flavor flavs, dubbing them Totally Strawberry, Cool Blueberry, Rad Raspberry, and Awesome Peach. After about a year, though, these ads show that the “gag me with a spoon” names were gone, and had been replaced with their simpler predecessors.
Even the advertising had a unique look, a company spokesperson said in 1989. That included a print ad with a James Dean ‘Rebel With A Cause‘ approach, that alerted consumers that the product is, “Tough as nails on the outside, smooth and creamy on the inside. With no chunky stuff like adult yogurt…”
Alas, sometime in 1991, the little canned yogurts apparently disappeared into the abyss of discontinued products, leaving the world with plain old refrigerated yogurt.
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Discontinued yogurt brands: Dannon Sprinkl’Ins yogurt with rainbow sprinkles (1992)
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Discontinued yogurt brands (that made a comeback): Trix lowfat yogurt for kids (1993)
Dannon Sprinkl’Ins with graham cracker cookies (1994)
Dannon Light Dessert Flavors yogurts (1994)
Jell-O yogurt Kid Pack (1995)
Dannon Double Delights yogurt with separate fruit topping (1995)
90s light yogurt from Breyers (1996)
1990s yogurt brands: Jell-O Jigglers Bits and Yogurt for kids (1996)
1990s yogurt brands: Yoplait – Custard-style yogurt for kids (1993)
Recommended by 9 out of 10 pediatricians.* Gobbled up by 10 out of 10 kids. A good source of calcium and protein. With a taste kids love.
* In a recent survey of more than 600 pediatricians, 9 out of 10 said that they would recommend Yoplait Custard Style yogurt for children.
2 Responses
Oh my god, thank you so much for this excellent article/post. I miss a lot of these.
I first heard of yogurt as a little girl back in the 1950s. My grandmother, who was a health food fan, used to mix plain Yami Yogurt with a jar of prune baby food. Later I became a fan of Dannon prune yogurt. Dannon had some great flavors.