FAQ

White Mountain Foods Bulgarian Yogurt is made with only two ingredients, milk and culture. Many customers buy our yogurt as a traditional staple that delights taste buds and nourishes your body. Enjoy its legendary versatility in the kitchen, from pairing it with granola, fruit, or your favorite sweetener to creating mouthwatering dishes, dips, and smoothies. With one of the highest probiotic counts in the industry, (over 90billion CFU!), our yogurt is recommended by doctors and even many lactose intolerant individuals can savor its benefits due to our 24 hour fermentation process. Experience the joy of feeling good with every spoonful!

The beneficial bacteria found in the Bulgarians’ traditional yogurt carry their name, L. Bulgaricus. These same beneficial bacteria are the foundation of our yogurt. The use of traditional methods of inoculation, fermentation, and storage in glass containers produce a yogurt virtually identical to the Bulgarian yogurt of Eastern Europe and many traditional yogurts from around the world, including Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and the Mediterranean region.

White Mountain Yogurt is known for its distinctive tangy taste, which is a result of the abundance of beneficial bacteria and the extended fermentation period. As the bacteria consume lactose in the milk, they produce lactic acid, giving the yogurt its acidic flavor. In contrast, the modern yogurt industry has modified traditional yogurt to appeal to a wider market by creating milder flavors and adding sweeteners, stabilizers, and thickeners. As a result, many commercial yogurts have a consistency more similar to pudding or ice cream, rather than being a staple food product.

Because our yogurt is fermented for twenty-four hours, the resulting dense probiotic content increases its shelf life to sixty-three days. For best results, consume before its expiration date and within seven days of opening.

At our company, we take pride in the fact that we do not include thickeners, such as dried milk solids, or stabilizers, such as gums or pectin, in our yogurts. Unlike other manufacturers who use these additives to artificially thicken and create consistency in their yogurts, we believe in providing a natural product that showcases the quality of our ingredients and the true taste of yogurt.

While our nonfat yogurt may be thinner compared to yogurt with higher fat content, this is because there is less fat available to help it congeal. It’s also important to note that yogurt can become thin or runny for various reasons, regardless of the time of year. This can occur due to under-incubation during the fermentation process, rough handling during shipping, or storage at improper temperatures. We strive to maintain the highest standards in our production and handling processes to ensure the quality of our yogurt, but if you experience any issues, please reach out to us or return the product for assistance.

Yogurt can be successfully frozen without causing harm to the beneficial bacteria it contains. However, it’s important to note that the consistency of yogurt may change slightly after thawing, and you may notice some separation. If you prefer a thicker texture, you can choose to remove the yellow liquid that may separate and enjoy a more concentrated treat. Alternatively, you can simply stir the liquid back into the yogurt for a more uniform consistency.

When freezing yogurt, it is recommended to transfer it from the glass jar to a freezer-safe container. This precaution is necessary to prevent the expansion of the yogurt during freezing, which could potentially cause the glass jar to break. By using a suitable freezer container, you can safely freeze and preserve your yogurt for later enjoyment.

The availability of our White Mountain Foods’ Bulgarian Yogurt in stores is largely driven by customer demand. If you’re unable to find our yogurt at your local store, we encourage you to speak with a store manager and request that they consider stocking it. To assist you in locating stores or distributors in your area that already carry our products, you can utilize our store locator feature. Additionally, you can reach out to us directly at [email protected] for information on local availability and potential options for obtaining our yogurt.

White Mountain Yogurt is conveniently packaged in different sizes, including pint, quart, and gallon containers. In the event that your local store does not carry the size option you are looking for, we suggest requesting that they place an order with their distributor to accommodate your preference. This way, you can enjoy our yogurt in the size that best suits your needs.

For our larger gallon sizes, we’ve switched to high-density polymer (HDPE) containers instead of glass for a few reasons. Glass containers are heavy, making them inconvenient for handling and transportation, which can increase shipping costs and affect the customer experience. Additionally, the weight of glass containers increases the risk of breakage, posing safety concerns for store employees and leading to product wastage and extra costs. HDPE containers are safe, recyclable, and don’t leach harmful chemicals into food or beverages. They are also highly recyclable, aligning with our sustainability goals. We are continuously exploring new materials and technologies for better packaging solutions.

Yogurt contains a rich concentration of live, beneficial bacteria, making it an ideal choice for homemade yogurt making. Its high level of live cultures makes it suitable to use as a starter for creating your own batch of delicious yogurt at home.

Our yogurt is completely gluten-free and undergoes a meticulous incubation process lasting twenty-four hours. We take pride in using only milk and culture in our yogurt, without any additional milk solids or compounds.

The culture itself is cultivated on a dairy product base. In terms of gluten sensitivity, it’s worth noting that our cows’ milk contains an average of 2 milligrams of free glutamates per 100 grams, which may be relevant for individuals who are sensitive even to the amino acid components of gluten.

Our yogurt is never pasteurized. The milk we use to create our yogurt is legally required to be pasteurized before the yogurt culture is added. This is primarily because the most vulnerable groups in terms of foodborne pathogens are the very young and the elderly, who are the main consumers of milk and milk products. To ensure the safety of consumers, the federal government mandates pasteurization to prevent the transmission of harmful bacteria through these milk products.

Yes, our product is certified kosher.

Yes. Milk is homogenized to ensure a consistent fat content. Without homogenization, milk processors would face challenges in complying with labeling laws, as the fat content can vary throughout the year and across different breeds of cattle. In typical processing, the fat is initially removed from the milk and then added back in at a specific level to achieve the desired fat content. The milk is then homogenized, which involves passing it through a fine screen mesh to prevent the fat from separating out again while on the shelf. The remaining fat that is removed during this process is often sold as butter.

We greatly value our relationships with our retailers and have made the decision to not offer direct sales from our manufacturing facility. This is to ensure that we do not compete with our retailers and can focus on maintaining strong partnerships with them. We appreciate your understanding and encourage you to visit one of our trusted retailers to purchase our products.

Are you looking to locate our products? Your search ends here! Simply click here to access our store map, which displays all the locations where our products are available. To narrow down your search and find specific products of interest, make use of the advanced search function.