Greece’s dairy industry has every reason to celebrate. Not only are yogurt sales in the domestic market growing rapidly in both volume and value, but exports of Greek strained yogurt are now breaking records at an unprecedented pace.

In 2025 alone, exports of strained yogurt reached 559 million euros, marking a remarkable 42.5% increase in value, while export volumes climbed by nearly 42%. Apart from feta cheese, no other Greek food product has achieved comparable export momentum. Early figures for 2026 suggest the boom is accelerating even further, with January export volumes soaring by 44%.

Today, the majority of Greece’s yogurt production is destined for foreign markets. Total annual production is estimated at around 400,000 tonnes, of which approximately 240,000 tonnes were exported in 2025. Forecasts for 2026 point to exports exceeding 300,000 tonnes.

The sector’s growth is no longer driven solely by major dairy groups. Alongside industry leaders such as Fage, Kri Kri, MEVGAL and Dodoni, a growing number of smaller regional producers are also expanding abroad.

Industry analysts believe strained yogurt exports could surpass feta exports in value within the next two years, supported by a global yogurt market estimated at 28 billion euros. Yet the industry faces a significant challenge: nearly 90% of exported volumes are private-label products made for large international supermarket chains, leaving only a small share sold under Greek brand names. Building internationally recognized brands remains difficult in a market dominated by multinational retailers, with Fage standing out as a rare success story.

Italy is currently the leading destination for Greek strained yogurt exports, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The fastest growth rates, however, are being recorded in Ireland, the Netherlands and the UK, highlighting the product’s rapidly expanding appeal across European markets.