Want to Make an Investment? Let’s Make Greek Yogurt

Some like the tangy creamy dairy product, others hate it. But it seems like there are an awful lot of folks who like Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is just a bit different than the thinner, more watery non-Greek sort. The whey is strained off, leaving a creamier yogurt high in protein and low in fat. Seems as though that has a lot of people buying, Greek yogurt now accounts for a quarter of the total yogurt market after a dizzying growth spurt.

With health becoming more of a concern for more and more Americans, it is food like Greek yogurt that not only is good for you, but also tastes good that many people are flocking to. Though often pricier, Greek yogurt is increasingly becoming a refrigerator staple as consumers seek healthy, "authentic" foods.

At least initially, Greek yogurt zoomed to popularity without a lot of attention from the major yogurt makers. Citigroup Global Markets in an analyst report last month said its growth to $1 billion in annual sales - out of total yogurt sales of $4.1 billion - caught the major U.S. yogurt makers "flat-footed." The result: Chobani had 53 percent of the Greek yogurt market, followed by Fage with 17 percent, France's Danone (its subsidiary Dannon makes Oikos) with 14 percent and General Mills (Yoplait Greek) with 5 percent, according to Citigroup.

There is plenty of room for growth though, and many smaller companies are producing Greek yogurt as fast as they can to grab a piece of the pie. So, if you have some money burning a hole in your pocket, Greek yogurt may be your road to riches. And if you don't, just eat some, it's pretty good stuff!