SWITZERLAND – Swiss multinational company Nestlé has announced that it is researching technologies that will enable it to accelerate the development of animal-free dairy protein-based products.
The company has plans on starting to pilot its novel product through the company’s newly established U.S. R&D Accelerator and aims to bring it to the U.S. market later this year as a test-and-learn.
The product was developed by Nestlé R&D teams in Switzerland using animal-free protein from Perfect Day, which is in turn made through precision fermentation, making it identical to the whey protein found in cow’s milk.
The protein used to make this new product offers good nutritional and functionality benefits that are suitable for vegans, and is lactose-free, according to Perfect Day.
According to Fortune Business Insight, the global dairy alternatives market is projected to grow from US$25.19 billion in 2022 to US$61.43 billion by 2029, at a CAGR of 13.58% in the forecast period.
With expertise in both great-tasting nutritious dairy and plant-based dairy alternatives, Nestlé said it is well-equipped to deliver a relevant consumer solution in this emerging space in collaboration with start-ups and other external partners.
Heike Steiling, Head of Nestlé’s Development Center for dairy products: “As the world’s largest food and beverage company, delivering foods and beverages that are good for people and the planet is a priority. We are exploring emerging technologies that can lead to animal-friendly alternatives that are nutritious and sustainable, without compromising on taste, flavor, and texture.”
Bringing together our unmatched R&D expertise, innovation capabilities, and scale, we are working to develop and test novel animal-free dairy protein-based products to complement our wide-ranging portfolio of plant-based alternatives.”
The U.S. R&D Accelerator was launched to focus on identifying opportunities and bringing highly differentiated product concepts to the market in only six months.
The accelerator is headed by Joanna Yarbrough, who is excited to pilot Nestlé’s first animal-free dairy protein-based products in a category that is still very young, and yet consumers are looking for products that have a reduced environmental footprint.
She added that dairy products remain an important part of Nestlé’s portfolio and provide essential nutrients, especially for young children, while milk production contributes to the economic livelihoods of farmers globally.
Therefore, Joanna hinted that Nestlé continues to explore solutions and technologies to make dairy more climate-friendly.
The multinational food and drinks conglomerate cooperation intends to be able to transform its portfolio as a part of its broader commitment to provide food that’s good for people and the planet through investing in initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of dairy.
The company also plans on achieving this mission by launching more plant-based dairy alternatives, while exploring emerging technologies for animal-free dairy proteins.
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