The kefir it is the fastest growing product in Italians' shopping carts. A fermented milk born in the Caucasus mountains, long unknown in our country, in just a few years it has surpassed low-fat yogurt in terms of market size and is today purchased in Italy by around ten million families.
This note analyzes the elements that distinguish kefir from other fermented milks, the market numbers at an Italian, European and global level, the state of clinical evidence and the directions of industrial innovation.
A microbial ecosystem, not a simple culture
Unlike the yogurt, which arises from the symbiosis of only two bacterial species (Dongo, 2026a), kefir is traditionally produced with kefir granules: small gelatinous masses, similar to miniature cauliflowers, made up of a protein matrix and polysaccharide kefiran, in which lactic acid bacteria coexist, bacteria acetics and yeasts. The microbial community includes species such as Lactobacillus kefiranofaciens, Lentilactobacillus kefiri, Lactococcus lactis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, bacteria of the genus Acetobacter and yeasts that ferment lactose – which one Kluyveromyces marxianus – or not, how Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Fijan et al., 2026). Lactic acid bacteria typically represent 60-83% of the population, yeasts and acetic acid bacteria the rest (Black et al., 2025).
THE yeasts they produce small amounts of ethanol and carbon dioxide, which give kefir its lightness effervescence and the sour taste characteristic. The fermentation, carried out at room temperature for 18-24 hours, also generates organic acids, bioactive peptides and exopolysaccharides (Dongo, 2025).
The only regulatory definition of kefir is contained in the standard of Codex Alimentarius on fermented milks, which identifies the starter in the kefir granules with Lactobacillus kefiri, especially of the genera Leuconostoc, Lactococcus And Acetobacter and yeasts, and prescribes a minimum of 2.7% protein, less than 10% fat, acidity not less than 0.6%, at least 107 microorganisms and at least 104 yeasts per gram until the minimum shelf life (Rosa et al., 2017). In the European Union, however, there is still no specific regulation and kefir is simply classified as fermented milk, without binding microbial composition requirements.
Industrial kefir and traditional kefir
The industry mainly employs starter cultures freeze-dried, easier to control than granules, and often excludes yeasts to avoid the formation of alcohol and gas. The result is a more standardized and less effervescent product, with a reduced microbial variety (Dongo, 2025). THE'market survey conducted by GIFT out of 27 drinking kefir sold in Italy confirmed this distance: four of the species of lactobacilli typical of the granules never appear on the label; yeasts, where present, are not specified; acetic acid bacteria appear in only two organic products (Strinati, 2025).
The same survey highlighted the strong production concentration abroad. Most private label and kefirs discount it comes from the Austrian NÖM factory, which also signs the Milk brand, while other branded products come from Romania and Croatia. The milk 100% Italian characterizes Granarolo's Yomo, which also produces for Esselunga, and a good part of organic kefir (Strinati, 2025).
A direct clinical comparison suggests that the difference is not just technological. In a randomized pilot study in adult men, kefir made from traditional microorganisms produced greater reductions in LDL cholesterol and plasma markers of inflammation than a commercial kefir (Bourrie et al., 2023). The data requires confirmation on larger samples, but indicates that the microbial composition is an important variable.
The Italian market, five years of double figures
Kefir in Italy grows by double digits for five years. In the twelve months to mid-2025, sales in modern distribution increased by 25% in volume and 28% in value, over 43 thousand tons and 123 million euros, with overtaking low-fat yogurt and almost a quarter of spending going to functional yogurts. In the discount The sell-out exceeded 27 million euros. The market is very concentrated: Latteria NÖM, with the Milk brand, held 53.5% of sales, while the three pursuers, Nestlé, Danone and Müller, combined for 14.1% (Il Sole 24 Ore, 2025, based on NielsenIQ data).
The acceleration continues in 2026. In the first four months of the year, 70% of the growth in consumer volumes is concentrated in twenty categories, with kefir leading the way at +50%, ahead of exotic fruit, seeds and protein yogurts (NielsenIQ, 2026). The preview of Coop Report 2026 places kefir in first place among growing products, with +51,2% in the year ending in June 2026, ahead of chia, sunflower and pumpkin seeds at +26.3%, compared to a decline in fresh partially skimmed milk (Ancc-Coop, 2026; Strinati, 2026a). In the year ending August 2026 the market is approaching 150 million euros, with volumes increasing by 42% and approx ten million purchasing families; Milk, with a 54% volume share, has become the leading brand in the entire yogurt and kefir sector, ahead of Danone and Müller (Il Sole 24 Ore, 2026, based on Circana data).
The Circana data released by Granarolo confirm the trend: progressively in September 2026 kefir scores +43.2% in volume and +49.8% in value compared to the previous year, while the wellness area of the yogurt sector grows by 20.5% (Granarolo, 2026). THE'Observatory I imagine, for its part, identifies in claim 'lactic ferments' the most dynamic among those monitored, +14.2% in value and +12.7% in volume, with kefir, functional yogurt and fermented milk driving it, and highlights kefir among the most lively categories also for indications 'proteins' And 'soccer' (Strinati, 2026b).
Europe and the world, the estimates of the research companies
The estimates on the global market come from private research companies and constitute gray literature, to be read with caution due to the different perimeters adopted. The main ones place the world market of kefir between 1.8 and 2.3 billion dollars in 2025, with compound annual growth rates (CAGR) ranging between 5.6% and 8.6% until 2031-2034 (IMARC Group, 2026; Mordor Intelligence, 2026; Fact.MR, 2026). Milk kefir represents approximately 81% of the value (IMARC Group, 2026).
THE'Europe is the first market, with an estimated share between 31% and 46% depending on the sources, thanks to consolidated consumption in Eastern countries, Poland and Bulgaria first of all, and more recent growth in Germany, the United Kingdom and France (IMARC Group, 2026; Mordor Intelligence, 2026). For the decade 2026-2036, growth rates of 6.8% are expected in the United Kingdom and 6.2% in Germany, while Asia-Pacific is indicated as the most rapidly expanding area (Fact.MR, 2026; Mordor Intelligence, 2026). Italy, with annual increases exceeding 40%, is therefore growing at a rate far superior to that of mature markets.
The nutritional profile
Since the CREA food composition tables do not contain an entry dedicated to kefir, the closest official reference remains that of yogurt (Dongo, 2026a). Cow's milk kefir contains approximately 90% water, proteins around 3%, variable fats depending on the starting milk and residual carbohydrates, with minerals, calcium and phosphorus in the lead, and group B vitamins. Fermentation reduces the lactose 20-30% compared to the starting milk and the presence of microorganisms with β-galactosidase activity further promotes digestion (Rosa et al., 2017).
In the absence of an official data sheet, the following is the average of the nutritional values declared on the label of the 27 drinking kefirs examined in the GIFT market survey, detected in July 2025, divided between 17 white kefirs and 10 flavored ones (Strinati, 2025).
| Average values per 100 g | White kefir (n=17) | Flavored Kefir (n=10) |
| Energy (estimate) | 205 kJ / 49 kcal | 266 kJ / 63 kcal |
| Fat (g) | 2,1 | 1,4 |
| of which saturated fatty acids (g) | 1,3 | 0,9 |
| Carbohydrates (g) | 4,0 | 9,5 |
| of which sugars (g) | 4,0 | 9,3 |
| Protein (g) | 3,5 | 3,1 |
| Calcium (mg), where declared | 120 (7 out of 17 products) | 120 (4 out of 10 products) |
| Vitamin B12 (µg), where declared | 0.38-0.5 (6 out of 17 products) | 0.38 (3 out of 10 products) |
Table 1. Average values declared on the label of the 27 drinking kefirs from the GIFT survey (Strinati, 2025). Original processing; energy is an estimate. In white kefirs the sugars coincide with the residual lactose; in flavored products they include added sugars, with a range between 7.2% and 12% in the nine sweetened products and 3.8% in the only product with sweetener.
In the white kefirs proteins provide approximately 29% of energy, above the 20% threshold that allows nutritional indication'high in protein'; in flavored products they drop to 20%, at the limit of this threshold and in any case above the 12% required for nutrition claim 'source of protein' (EC regulation 1924/2006, Annex). The 120 mg of soccer declared by eleven products correspond to 15% of the nutritional reference values set out in Annex XIII to Regulation (EU) no. 1169/2011, i.e. the significant quantity that allows the indication 'source of calcium'. Flavored kefirs contain on average more than double the sugars of white ones, and the wording 'without added sugars' presupposes the absence of added mono- and disaccharides and of any other food product used for its sweetening properties (EC regulation 1924/2006, Annex; Dongo, 2026c). The white kefirs were all free of flavourings, additives and colourants, while the flavored ones used citric acid as an acidity regulator (Strinati, 2025).
The scientific evidence
The clinical literature on kefir has grown in the last two years. The most recent review examined 28 human clinical studies of milk kefir without added probiotic strains, published through August 2025. Kefir consumption is associated with potential benefits on the modulation of the intestinal microbiota, metabolic parameters, inflammatory markers, immune function and gastrointestinal health, with effects dependent on dose and duration: 200-250 ml per day for short periods appear sufficient for intestinal effects, while systemic outcomes require larger volumes and at least 6-12 weeks. The authors point out, however, that the overall strength of the evidence remains limited, due to the heterogeneity of the products, doses and populations studied (Fijan et al., 2026).
The conclusions converge with the systematic review of 16 randomized studies which had already indicated the potential of kefir as an adjuvant in reducing Streptococcus mutans oral and in the eradication ofHelicobacter pylori, as well as in the management of dyslipidemia and hypertension in adults, reporting however a high risk of bias in 12 out of 16 studies (Kairey et al., 2023). A scoping review out of 44 clinical studies it also confirmed the safety of kefir for people without serious pathologies, proposing doses standardized in milliliters per kilo of body weight (Bessa et al., 2024).
On the microbiota direct evidence on humans is still limited. In patients with metabolic syndrome, 180 ml of kefir daily for 12 weeks increased the relative abundance of Actinobacteria and reduced inflammatory markers TNF-α and IFN-γ (Bellikci-Koyu et al., 2019). In healthy young adults, under controlled dietary conditions, two weeks of kefir increased lactate- and short-chain fatty acid-producing species, including Bifidobacterium brevis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides And Blautia, without changing the overall diversity (Choi et al., 2025). A review dedicated to the oral and intestinal microbiome concludes that the most constant effect is the reduction of S. mutans, while the intestinal effects strongly depend on the health status of the host (Black et al., 2025).
A final clarification concerns language. According to the consensus ofInternational Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics, kefir is a fermented food and not a probiotic in the technical sense, since the latter qualification requires defined strains, effective doses and benefits demonstrated in specific clinical studies (Marco et al., 2021).
Nutrition and health claims, the rules in the European Union
In the European Union the term 'probiotic' it is considered by the Commission to be a health claim subject to prior authorization (EC regulation 1924/2006, art. 10). This position has no binding legal effects and in the writer's opinion is incorrect, but is in fact followed in many member countries with the national exceptions introduced by Italy, Spain and Denmark for food supplements only (Dongo, 2025).
THE'unique health claim authorized in the European Union on live cultures concerns yogurt and fermented milk: 'live cultures in yogurt or fermented milk improve the digestion of lactose contained in the product in subjects who have difficulty digesting lactose', provided that the product contains at least 108 colony forming units per gram of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus And Streptococcus thermophilus (EU regulation 432/2012, Annex). Kefir can access it only if formulated with these species in the required quantities.
THE nutrition claim they are instead within the reach of many kefirs: 'source of calcium', 'source of protein' or 'high in protein', 'without added sugars' with the words 'naturally contains sugars' (EC reg. 1924/2006, Annex), and the declaration of the ferments in the list of ingredients with the Latin nomenclature (EU reg. 1169/2011, art. 18).
Our team of DO (Food and Agriculture Requirements) is available to organizations and research consortia to support the planning of scientific studies and the construction of dossiers aimed at submitting applications for authorization to use new health claim.
Innovation, three directions
Innovation in kefir follows the same three directions already observed in yogurt (Dongo, 2026a): functional enrichment, protein content and reduction of sugars without sweeteners.
At the end of October 2026, the Italian Granarolo expanded the Yomo Kefir line with the addition of prebiotic fibers and crunchy ingredients, including coated balls Choruba, a chocolate-based alternative carob (Granarolo, 2026).
The combination of ferments and prebiotic fibers in the same product follows the logic of symbiotic and recalls the experience gained by the group with the Yomo yogurt 'without added sugars and without sweeteners' launched in May 2026, in which theoligofructose it replaces sugar by providing body, sweetness and soluble fiber (Dongo, 2026b). On the health front of the elderly and the so-called longevityMeanwhile, the market leader announces the doubling of the organic references and new features with antioxidants and collagen (Il Sole 24 Ore, 2026).
In summary
Kefir is the phenomenon of the Italian refrigerated counter: 123 million euros in 2025, towards 150 in 2026, with volumes growing by over 40% per year and ten million purchasing families. Scientific evidence supports the benefits of lactose on digestion and oral health, with encouraging signals on the microbiota and metabolic parameters. The distance between industrial and traditional kefir, in microbial composition, is the variable that distinguishes the products and guides innovation, together with prebiotic fibres, proteins and sugar reduction. There conscious choice passes through the label: ferments declared with species name, presence of yeasts, origin of milk, sugars and additives.
Dario Dongo
References
Scientific studies
Bellikci-Koyu, E., Sarer-Yurekli, B. P., Akyon, Y., Aydin-Kose, F., Karagozlu, C., Ozgen, A. G., Brinkmann, A., Nitsche, A., Ergunay, K., Yilmaz-Ersan, L., & Buyuktuncer, Z. (2019). Effects of regular kefir consumption on gut microbiota in patients with metabolic syndrome: A parallel-group, randomized, controlled study. Nutrients, 11(9), 2089. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11092089
Bessa, M. K., Bessa, G. R., & Bonamigo, R. R. (2024). Kefir as a therapeutic agent in clinical research: A scoping review. Nutrition Research Reviews, 37(1), 79–95. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954422423000070
Black, E. G., Bugarcic, A., Lauche, R., El-Omar, E., & El-Assaad, F. (2025). The effects of kefir on the human oral and gut microbiome. Nutrients, 17(24), 3861. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17243861
Bourrie, B. C. T., Forgie, A. J., Makarowski, A., Cotter, P. D., Richard, C., & Willing, B. P. (2023). Consumption of kefir made with traditional microorganisms resulted in greater improvements in LDL cholesterol and plasma markers of inflammation in males when compared to a commercial kefir: A randomized pilot study. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 48, 668–677. https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2022-0463
Choi, Y., Keum, G. B., Kang, J., Doo, H., Kwak, J., Kim, H., Chae, Y., Lee, S., Yang, H., Kim, S., Sun, X., Kim, H. B., & Yoo, S. J. (2025). Evaluation of kefir consumption on gut microbial diversity in a healthy young population using full-length 16S rRNA sequencing. Frontiers in Microbiology, 16, 1587831. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2025.1587831
Fijan, S., Povalej Bržan, P., Šikić Pogačar, M., & Klanjšek, P. (2026). Kefir consumption and health effects based on human clinical trials: An overview of literature. Healthcare, 14(5), 652. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14050652
Kairey, L., Leech, B., El-Assaad, F., Bugarcic, A., Dawson, D., & Lauche, R. (2023). The effects of kefir consumption on human health: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Nutrition Reviews, 81(3), 267–286. https://doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuac054
Marco, M. L., Sanders, M. E., Gänzle, M., Arrieta, M. C., Cotter, P. D., De Vuyst, L., Hill, C., Holzapfel, W., Lebeer, S., Merenstein, D., Reid, G., Wolfe, B. E., & Hutkins, R. (2021). The International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP) consensus statement on fermented foods. Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 18(3), 196–208. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-020-00390-5
Rosa, D. D., Dias, M. M. S., Grześkowiak, Ł. M., Reis, S. A., Conceição, L. L., & Peluzio, M. D. C. G. (2017). Milk kefir: Nutritional, microbiological and health benefits. Nutrition Research Reviews, 30(1), 82–96. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954422416000275
Institutional and regulatory sources
Codex Alimentarius Commission. (2003, rev. 2008, 2010, 2018, am. 2022, 2024). Standard for fermented milks (CXS 243-2003). FAO/WHO. https://www.fao.org/input/download/standards/400/CXS_243e.pdf
Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 of 16 May 2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods, other than those referring to the reduction of disease risk and to children's development and health. Consolidated text: 08/20/2025. http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/432/2025-08-20
Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods. Consolidated text: 12/13/2014. http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2006/1924/2014-12-13
Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2011 on the provision of food information to consumers. Consolidated text: 04/01/2025. http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/2025-04-01
Market and sector sources
Ancc-Coop, Research Office. (2026, September 10). Coop Report 2026. Consumption and lifestyles of Italians today and tomorrow. Digital preview. italiani.coop. https://italiani.coop/rappello-coop-2026-premiere-digitale-2/
Fact.MR. (2026). Kefir products market size, share & forecast 2026-2036. https://www.factmr.com/report/kefir-products-market
Granarolo. (2026, October 28). Granarolo strengthens its position in the kefir market with the new products in the Yomo Kefir range [Press release]. Granarolo S.p.A.
Il Sole 24 Ore. (2025, September 16). Kefir is growing at record rates and overtaking low-fat yogurt (M. Soressi). https://en.ilsole24ore.com/art/kefir-grows-at-record-pace-and-overtakes-low-fat-yoghurt-AHddWCWC
Il Sole 24 Ore. (2026, September 19). Yogurt and kefir, the Italian Milk brand grows by 30% and becomes the leader. Il Sole 24 Ore, daily edition. https://quotidiano.ilsole24ore.com/art.php?artid=2112709&e=SOLE&i=20260919&t=S24
IMARC Group. (2026). Kefir market size, share, price analysis, report 2026-2034. https://www.imarcgroup.com/kefir-market
Mordor Intelligence. (2026). Kefir market size & share analysis: Growth trends and forecast (2026-2031). https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/kefir-market
NielsenIQ. (2026, May 14). NIQ at Linkontro: 2026 in large-scale retail trade is the year of choices [Press release]. https://nielseniq.com/global/it/news-center/2026/niq-a-linkontro-il-2026-nella-grande-distribuzione-e-lanno-delle-scelte/
Insights
Dongo, D. (2025, July 3). Kefir, a functional food? FT (Food Times). https://www.foodtimes.eu/it/consumatori-e-salute/kefir-un-alimento-nazionale/
Dongo, D. (2026a, July 17). Italian yogurt: rules, variety and innovation. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/latticini/yogurt-italiano-peculiarita-varieta-associazione/
Dongo, D. (2026b, July 17). Oligofructose, the prebiotic fiber that halves sugars. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/nutrizione-specializzazione/oligofructosio-fibra-prebiotica-sostituto-zucchero/
Dongo, D. (2026c, September 4). 'No added sugar – with sweeteners'? DO (Food and Agriculture Requirements). https://fareagrifood.com/2026/09/04/senza-zuccheri-aggiunti-con-edulcoranti/
Strinati, M. (2025, July 19). Kefir, an elixir of life? 27 products compared. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/notizie/kefir-un-elisir-di-lunga-vita-27-prodotti-a-confronto/
Strinati, M. (2026a, September 15). Coop Report 2026, food at the center of a country that consumes less. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/notizie/rappello-coop-2026/
Strinati, M. (2026b, September 20). Imagine Observatory, 19th edition. Proteins, ferments and 'withouts' drive spending. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/notizie/observatory-immagino-xix-edition/
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT – Food Times) and Égalité.
