Shifts among category leaders took place in the dairy alternatives market as almond milk and kefir helped contribute to category growth. The refrigerated kefir, milk substitutes and soymilk category grew 16.4 percent for $608.3 million in sales, according to SymphonyIRI Group, Chicago, for the 52 weeks ending May 15 in U.S. supermarkets, drug stores, gas and convenience stores and mass merchandise outlets, excluding Wal-Mart.
Category leader, Silk Soymilk, a brand of WhiteWave Foods, Broomfield, Colo., struggled with a 13.6 percent decline for $205.9 million in sales and lost 11.7 percent of the market share for a total of