Yoplait Lactose Free Yogurt Debuts During Lactose Intolerance Awareness Month

MINNEAPOLIS — Yoplait(R) is encouraging people with lactose intolerance to say "yes" to dairy during Lactose Intolerance Awareness Month this February with its newest yogurt, Yoplait Lactose Free. Ninety-nine percent fat free and packed with 50 percent of the Daily Value of calcium and vitamin D, Yoplait Lactose Free offers a delicious, healthful dairy option for the millions of Americans with lactose intolerance.

"People with lactose intolerance may avoid yogurt altogether because they don't want to deal with the worry of digestive symptoms," says Christina Meyer-Jax, registered dietitian and Yoplait Lactose Free spokesperson. "When people avoid dairy, like yogurt, they may have lower intakes of important bone-building nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. With 50% of the Daily Value of calcium and vitamin D, Yoplait Lactose Free offers a great solution."

Yoplait Lactose Free is available in four delicious flavors; Strawberry, Peach, Cherry and French Vanilla, and contains no artificial sweeteners. With 10 new lactose-free recipes, people with lactose intolerance can savor their favorite dairy snacks and desserts worry free, like chocolate brulee, mixed berry pie and tres leches cake. Visit Facebook.com/Yoplait and Pinterest.com for recipe details.

"Being lactose intolerant for as long as I can remember, I worried about eating dairy," says Karina Smirnoff, who's supporting Yoplait Lactose Free. "And as a dancer, finding balanced snacks with calcium and vitamin D is important to me. I love that Yoplait Lactose Free gives me the freedom to finally enjoy dairy, and all its great health benefits!"

Yoplait is supporting the new product with an integrated marketing campaign. Starting in late February, Yoplait will also ask Facebook fans what else they're saying yes to, now that they can say yes to delicious dairy with Yoplait Lactose Free.

Yoplait Lactose Free is the first lactose-free yogurt from a major yogurt brand and is available nationwide for a suggested retail price of $0.90 per cup. Like all other Yoplait products, Yoplait Lactose Free is made with milk from cows not treated with rBST. For more information on new Yoplait Lactose Free visit http://www.yoplait.com/lactose-free .

About General Mills

One of the world's leading food companies, General Mills operates in more than 100 countries and markets more than 100 consumer brands, including Cheerios, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Progresso, Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A., General Mills had fiscal 2009 global net sales of US$15.9 billion, including the company's $1.2 billion proportionate share of joint venture net sales. Visit www.generalmills.com .

Source: General Mills