Dairy Forum 2025: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

 

I am thankful for the opportunity to attend Dairy Forum as a member of the media and for the fabulous program that the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) puts together every year. I am also thankful for the many friendships developed over the years and how it was impossible to make it to events on time because at every turn there was another one of my dairy family members to catch up with. We are better together. 

1. We are limitless. This is not just good, it’s great. 

“I believe our potential is truly limitless. I’m an optimist. I’m a believer. We have so much opportunity in front of us,” said Michael Dykes, president and CEO of IDFA during his opening remarks on January 27.

The record attendance at this year’s Dairy Forum supports this enthusiasm. Further, in a McKinsey survey of IDFA’s member leaders, 70% expressed optimism. It was reported that over the next three years, more than $8 billion is being invested into the dairy processing industry. (This number is much larger, according to Dykes, who said during a media briefing that a number of companies came up to him after his keynote to share what they are doing.)

And a first-timer at the event— Meyer Sosland, chief operating officer and executive editor at Sosland Publishing (publishers of Dairy Processing)--shared with me, “I was impressed by the quality of the content and pace of the event. It was one of the best-run industry events I have ever attended.”

 EXPLORE DAIRY INNOVATION AT THE UPCOMING IDDBA IN NEW ORLEANS

 

2. We need to continue to make dairy “good food.” We know it’s already great.

Dykes identified “elevate nutrition and wellness” as an opportunity for the dairy industry to embrace to assist with realizing its limitless potential.

“We are in a period of time where health and wellness is absolutely core to our dairy industry. It’s core to the food industry and we have a great story in dairy. We have a great story to tell. We need to tell it,” he said. “…we’ve been working to get dairy seen as good for you, so when we got to the day where we had ‘good food’ and ‘bad food,’ we want dairy to be in the ‘good food’ category.”

“I’m a firm believer dairy can play a central role in making America healthy again. Our dairy companies are becoming nutrition and wellness partners to consumers,” said Dykes. “We have been united. We’ve been proactive and we’ve told our story and when we have done that, we’ve been very effective. I don’t think there’s a better example of this than the Healthy School Milk Commitment.”

He explained that when the U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed the elimination of flavored milk in schools, IDFA knew it had to do something.

“That’s six and a half percent of the milk you produce,” he told the audience. “It was the view that there was way too much sugar in chocolate milk in schools, so we went to the Department of Agriculture and said, ‘hey, if we make an industry commitment to a maximum of 10 grams, can we work with you?’ The answer was ‘yes.’ We worked with many of the 37 processors representing nearly all of the school milk sold. We made the commitment. We preserved the milk and we are well ahead of what we pledged to do. We’re now at seven and a half grams of added sugar. We can do this. We have done this…We anticipated the good food, bad food debate.”

 

3. We need to do a better job marketing our high-quality, complete, delicious protein. This is a good thing to do. 

“Young parents are looking for growth and development for their own children. Active adults are looking for more of protein’s functional benefits. Seniors are looking for stability, mobility,” said Dykes. “…protein is our superhero in the dairy profile and many of you are telling the protein story. We all know that a healthy diet begins with dairy. We’ve got 13 essential nutrients, three of the four nutrients that are of public health concern.”

4. The world is messed up. It’s ugly. 

“We’re in a strange time,” Dykes also said. “We must win in Washington… We’ve got a lot of education to do across the administration. Seventy-five members of the Congress are brand spanking new, so our state associations, our state affiliates, we need to work together. We need to count on you guys to be our advocates in the states. We need to do the same thing on the federal level, but it’s going to take more than that. We’re going to need your voice. We’re going to need you to participate.

“We’re also going to have to be adaptable,” Dykes said. “We’re blessed in dairy. The state of our U.S. dairy is strong and is growing. Consumption continues to grow.”

He showed a photo of Senator Roger Marshall, and said, “He opened a glass of milk, opened a carton of milk and drank a carton of milk and encouraged her (the new Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, during her confirmation hearing) to be thinking about supporting whole milk in schools. It’s that kind of advocacy. We need unexpected people saying unexpectedly positive things about dairy and unexpected places.”

Thank you Nicole Kidman.

5. Deportation and tariff threats are real. This is bad, maybe very bad, which can make it ugly. 

“I think mass deportations will probably be the next thing that we deal with as an industry,” said Dykes. “We’ll be doing a webinar for our members on how to prepare for that and what to do if you get the knock on the door…We’ll have to work our way through that and we will.”

6. Innovation keep dairy products relevant to the evolving consumer. This is better than good. This is great. 

Dairy Management Inc., in conjunction with the Center for Dairy Research in Madison, Wis., showed us three concepts ready for commercialization. I want to buy Jade now! It is a cappuccino nutritional dairy shake for women with only 100 calories. It contains 15 grams of complete protein, no added sugars and is lactose free. It is delicious!

Cookies and Cream Cottage Creamery is an ice cream made with a cottage cheese base. It was developed by food scientists at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. Each pint contains 26 grams of protein, along with half the sugar, 60% fewer calories and 70% less fat than Haagen-Dazs Cookies and Cream.  

There was also a next-generation whey protein beverage dry blend that contained prebiotics and probiotics.

7. Be authentic. Takes chances. But when it comes to food safety, never risk it. This is good, has the potential to be bad, and could get ugly. 

Carla Harris, the keynote presenter at lunch on January 27, emphasized that successful leaders are authentic and take chances. One can argue that successful foods are authentic, too. You cannot get too much more authentic than fluid milk straight from the cow, albeit after pasteurization, a time-temperature process that ensures safety for all.

And you thought I was going to talk about the polarizing keynote speaker on Sunday night. I can’t. I boycotted it.

 EXPLORE DAIRY INNOVATION AT THE UPCOMING IDDBA IN NEW ORLEANS

 

 

Ten Innovations from the Winter Fancy Food Show You Must Know About

This week the final Winter Fancy Food Show took place in Las Vegas. During the “2025 Specialty Food Industry Outlook: Trends Shaping Retail, Foodservice” presentation, Brian Choi, managing partner and CEO of The Food Institute, identified four trends fueling growth of specialty foods, a.k.a. fancy foods. 

They are 1) Specialty/Premiumization, 2) Value Consciousness, 3) Health & Wellness 3.0 and Sensorial/Global Flavor Experiences. He explained that these trends are assisting with the success of “challenger brands,” which are brands that are neither the market leader nor a niche brand. They are brands with the intent to bring change to the industry.
 

“This is the year for ‘challenger brands’ to make their mark,” said Choi. “And, ingredient transparency and global flavors are growing. There’s a demand for authenticity.”

The wellness trend also has a new spin. The trend is focusing on GLP-1 friendly foods, functional foods and non-alcoholic adult beverages. While these products can all be classified as mainstream, many of them prefer to play in the specialty space. They have a premiumized flair to them, which appeals to both upper class and lower class income households.

Indeed, the U.S. specialty food sector has a broad-based appeal. It generated $207 billion in total sales in 2023, according to the Specialty Food Association (SFA), representing a 149% increase over the past decade. Choi said that growth will continue. 

 

A combination of emotional need states, higher income spending and the quality/health halo associated with specialty foods is driving sales. These foods are affordable luxuries to lower-income households. They provide elevated comfort. When these consumers feel the need to save, they shop private label. This is why mainstream brands are hurting. 

“The perception of private label has really changed,” said Choi. “Private label is currently about 20% of all food and beverage sales in the U.S. It will be 30% in five years.”

He also explained how international retailers are gaining ground as a result of shifting demographics. This is a key driver of global flavors. It’s all about authenticity in terms of recipes, ingredient sourcing and retailing. Mediterranean, in particular, is trending, thanks to the likes of fast-casual restaurant such as Cava, which Choi described as “the Chipotle of this generation.” Cava is fueling consumer interest in feta cheese, which was very prominent at the show.

Sunny Khamkar, cofounder and CEO of MenuData, also spoke during this session. “Functional ingredients are redefining food and beverage,” he said. “Consumers are looking for ‘real’ ingredients.”

Milk and foods made with milk and dairy ingredients check all the boxes of being “fancy.” Here are 10 innovations that made me stop and say “wow!”

Let’s start with the one dairy alternative. New milkadamia Flat Pack Organic Oat Milk is a pack of 2-D printed sheets of oat milk, which cut packaging waste by 94% and weight by 85%. Each pack contains eight sheets, with each yielding 8-ounces of beverage when dissolved for 30 seconds in water. This pre-cycled product significantly reduces ecological costs by minimizing transportation bulk and packaging, shifting the focus from post-consumer waste management to proactive reduction, allowing consumers to make a direct positive impact on the planet, according to the company. The concept is debuting this month. 

 

Another noteworthy innovation is Dubai chocolate. The original version was first created by Fix Dessert Chocolatier in Dubai in 2021 and took off last year on social media. Today there are a growing number of me-too versions entering the market. It’s made with milk chocolate filled with a sweet cream made from pistachios and finely chopped kadayif, an Arabic pastry. Might Dubai chocolate make an interesting flavor profile for ice cream, yogurt or even flavored milk?
 

Back to the real deal. Dairy butter shined at the Winter Fancy Food Show. In case you missed this post earlier in the week, Buji Brown Butter made its debut at show. Buji is short for the French word bourgeoisie, which is suggestive of something expensive used by the middle class to feel more upper class. 

“When I mistakenly discovered the beauty, the smell and the flavor of this solid version of brown butter, I knew I had to spread ‘the butter,’” said Lisa Herlinger, founder. “I am committed to using grass-fed butter, known for its higher levels of beta carotene, which is also responsible for the butter’s beautiful yellow appearance. Then I use traditional techniques to cook and brown it to perfection, creating a consistently delicious end product. I’m actually taking a beloved basic ingredient—butter--and making it kinda ‘fancy.’ I like to say that we’re a humble character living a luxurious--or buji--lifestyle.” 

Bungay Butter from Fen Farm Dairy in the U.K., believes the time is right to start exporting its specialty butter to the U.S. The company’s story and butter-making process are definitely an impressive read you can find HERE. This is the type of story today’s consumers crave. 

It’s a cultured butter made with raw milk from grass-fed Montbéliarde and Friesian cows. It’s a handmade process that starts by souring the cream with lactic bacteria, followed by churning and hand-paddling with traditional scotch “butter hands” made from wood. It’s a true farmhouse butter and fits the bill of being an affordable luxury.

 

 Dairy desserts are also affordable luxuries. Add in authentic global flavors, and you have a winner.
Rachelli, a brand of Emmi Dessert Italia, part of the Emmi Group, is rolling out tiramisu and cannoli kits to the U.S. marketplace. The company also has a fresh, ready-to-eat refrigerated tiramisu in a glass jar. The refrigerated product flags that it is made with mascarpone and Italian milk.


 

 

 

Pastazerts are an innovative twist on a classic Italian entree. The New York City-based company was founded in 2023 by Stephanie Berwick. Her concept--chocolate ravioli-- came to life at the World Food Championships several years ago. It is chocolate pasta filled with creamy cheese and other sweet flavors, such as strawberry cheesecake.

 

 

Authentic Japanese desserts had a large presence at the Winter Fancy Food Show. Monteur Co., is trying to grow its presence in the U.S., and is rolling out a new spin on mochi. It’s the Mochi Rollcake. A sponge cake is rolled around a sweetened condensed milk-based chewy mochi filling. The product is sold frozen but should be consumed thawed at refrigerated temperature. Varieties are chocolate, matcha, strawberry and vanilla.  

 

Maeda-en wants to expand its presence beyond Asian retailers and specialty shops along the West Coast. The company manufactures its sherbets in the U.S. but also uses authentic ingredients from abroad. For example, The Yuzu Citrus Sherbet is made with Japanese yuzu juice, which when harvested is squeezed and quickly frozen without any additives to preserve the subtle sweet, tart aromatic flavors. 

 

New Frost Buttercream is all about “Defrost, Whip, Frost!” This small-batch, all-natural, perishable frosting is made with only nine simple ingredients, and two of them are dairy: butter and skim milk.  The product is sold, distributed and stored in the freezer until ready to use. Then it gets defrosted (on counter or in microwave). The home baker should empty the container into a mixer and whip it for 5 to 10 minutes. (Initial separation is normal. Just keep whipping until fluffy and smooth.)

And lastly, UpStar Nutrition Inc., showcased its new line of indulgent frozen desserts called ‘ndulge. Set to launch in May 2025, ‘ndulge offers health-conscious consumers a delicious alternative to traditional ice cream. This product will be a Daily Dose of Dairy this coming week. You can find out more about what makes this product so special, beyond the fact that it is delish!

“In a world where sugary temptations are everywhere, providing a healthier alternative without sacrificing flavor is crucial,” said Chris Spencer, chief executive officer. “Our new desserts meet the growing consumer demand for tasty, better-for-you options that fit their dietary needs.”

As mentioned, this was the last Winter Fancy Food Show. The SFA is rebranding and reformatting its winter event and it will now be called Winter FancyFaire. The concept has an eye towards the future and will seek to offer participants first-to-market opportunities and a first look at the future of specialty food by expanding the ways that makers can bring their products to market and how they are experienced by attendees. The trade show will offer multiple engagement opportunities, welcoming emerging and established makers alike, while putting a spotlight on key consumer trends and the products that fulfill them. The 2026 Winter FancyFaire will take place January 11 to 13, 2026, in San Diego. For more information, link HERE.

 

 

Emerging Trend Alert: Selling Cozy

 

Before discussing cozy, let’s address the regulatory updates, as they have been the talk of the food and beverage industry. This past Tuesday, January 14, 2025, FDA proposed a mandatory, front-of-package nutrition label for most packaged foods. If finalized, food manufacturers would be required to add a Nutrition Info box to most packaged food products three years after the final rule’s effective date for businesses with $10 million or more in annual food sales and four years after the final rule’s effective date for businesses with less than $10 million in annual food sales. 

The proposal gives consumers readily visible information about a food’s saturated fat, sodium and added sugars content, three nutrients directly linked with chronic diseases when consumed in excess. The simple format includes identifying the amount of these nutrients as “Low,” “Med” or “High.” The label does not flag any of the good stuff inside. This limitation was immediately addressed by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). 

“With this proposed rule, the FDA has missed an important opportunity to educate consumers about the nutrients they need to live healthy lives. It is critical that any front-of-package labeling scheme be balanced and provide consumers with the broad scope of nutritional information that fully reflects the calcium, protein, vitamin D, potassium and other essential nutrients dairy provides,” said Roberta Wagner, senior vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs at IDFA. “By focusing solely on nutrients to limit, FDA’s proposed front-of-pack nutrition labeling rule would unfairly stigmatize a wide variety of nutrient-dense dairy products—such as milk, cheese and yogurt—despite extensive nutrition science showing their benefits for bone health, immune function, hydration and reduced risks of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. We urge the FDA to reevaluate its labeling approach to support comprehensive and transparent communication about the health benefits of dairy.”

Thank you IDFA! But here’s the deal. Will the FDA listen? Agree? Will there even be an agency after Jan. 20? I guess no agency would mean the proposal would go away and we may be back to pre-Nutrition Facts times—before 1990—when food labels were barely regulated. And pasteurization…what’s that? (Scary times ahead.)

The point is that it is up to dairy processors to do a better job of communicating the nutrition inside each and every product. Focus on the protein, the vitamins, the minerals and all those other powerhouse compounds. 

Moving on to Red Dye #3. Manufacturers who use it in food have until January 15, 2027, to reformulate their products, according to FDA. For dairy, Red Dye #3 is used primarily in strawberry milk, other strawberry products and some of the confections added to ice cream or in the side cup on yogurt. For the record, as of now Red Dye #40 is still A-OK. However, I highly recommend you take the “natural” route. Tomato-derived colors (from Lycored) work very well in refrigerated strawberry milk. 

No need to go into the why, how and who fueled the ban. It’s all over the internet. But as of now, while there still is an FDA, Red Dye #3 is on the American no-no list. 

And then late on Thursday, January 16, 2025, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau proposed an Alcohol Facts box, similar to the Nutrition Facts. Labels on wine, distilled spirits and malt beverages in the U.S. would be required to list alcohol content and nutritional information per serving, plus notification of potential allergens, under two new proposed rules. This is on top of the warning declaration on labels communicating the correlation between alcohol consumption and cancer.

All of these proposals and mandates come at a time when the government is in the process of updating dietary guidelines. These guidelines influence federal food programs and policy. 

All of this is quite stressful. That’s where cozy comes into play. It’s not new. It just has a new label. Cozy is about connection and comfort. And brands are trying to position their products as being cozy. 

The 6 Seeds Consulting, a global AI-driven insights firm, predicts the emergence of The Cozy Revolution. Driven by lingering pandemic effects, climate anxiety, economic pressures and digital burnout, this trend is reshaping the food and beverage landscape. From elevated versions of nostalgic comfort foods to sensory-rich experiences, consumers are seeking emotional refuge in products and moments that offer reassurance, indulgence and joy. 

“2025 will be the year of coziness,” says Andreas Düss, CEO of 6 Seeds Consulting. “People aren’t just looking for comfort. They’re demanding it. The chaos of the world has made it clear: emotional well-being isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. This isn’t just a food trend. It’s a cultural shift, and food brands that understand this will lead the pack.” 

Why 2025 Will Be All About Coziness. 

6 Seeds Consulting identifies five key forces driving this movement into the new year: 

• Pandemic Aftershocks: Rituals like baking and home cooking, popularized during lockdowns, continue to hold emotional value. 
• Climate Anxiety: As uncertainty grows, consumers turn to nostalgic foods and small comforts for stability. 
• Economic Pressures: Affordable indulgences, such as premium single-serve desserts, provide instant moments of joy. This phenomenon, known as the “lipstick effect,” was first observed by Estée Lauder, who noted lipstick sales growth during economic uncertainty.
• Digital Burnout: After years of screen fatigue, people crave tactile, sensory-rich experiences and real-world connections. 
• Sociopolitical Stress: In polarized times, comfort foods and cozy entertainment provide much-needed escapism. 

6 Seeds Consulting advises food brands to adapt to this movement by: 

• Reimagining nostalgic favorites with elevated, high-quality ingredients. 
• Focusing on authenticity through storytelling and ethical sourcing. 
• Offering affordable luxuries that balance indulgence with mindfulness.

Dairy checks all the boxes! 

“Consumers are using food to reconnect with themselves and their sense of joy,” says Düss. “For brands, 2025 is the moment to deliver not just products but experiences that feel like a warm embrace in uncertain times.” 

This cozy-first mindset isn’t limited to food. Hospitality, wellness and entertainment industries are embracing cozy, sanctuary-style offerings. From soft lighting in restaurants to “cozy content” in streaming services, the comfort revolution is redefining what it means to create meaningful consumer experiences. 

With much of the country heading into a major cold spell, I plan to hunker down and be cozy this upcoming week. Stay warm! And think of all the ways to make better food possible. Think dairy!

Five Dairy-Centric News Items to Know as We Take on 2025

 

Happy New Year! 

Not sure when is the cut-off for such wishes, but this is my first blog of 2025. So Happy New Year! The last one was on Friday (December) the 13th! And wowza, so much has gone down since then.

Before I share the five dairy-centric newsy items you need to know before moving forward, please consider this quote from my friend KJ (Kimberlee) Burrington, vice president of technical development at the  American Dairy Products Institute. 

“It makes sense to use a dairy ingredient in a dairy product because you could reduce the need for other additives, many of which have unfamiliar names to consumers.”

Want to learn more about putting dairy back into dairy? Plan to attend ADPI’s newest event, the Global Ingredients Summit, which combines two of ADPI’s technical conferences--the Global Cheese Technology Forum and the Dairy Ingredients Technical Symposium--into one premier event. It will take place in Tampa on February 10 to 12, 2025. Link HERE for more information. 

Here are those five WOWZA items. 

1. GLP-1 medications, which initially were used to treat diabetes, are now being used as weight loss medications. They are “having a profound impact on how consumers allocate their food and beverage and nonfood spending,” according to a hot-off-the-presses study from Circana. High-quality, complete protein—like dairy proteins—are critical to shedding pounds in a healthful manner.

To better understand the implications of these medicines on the food and beverage industry, as well as the opportunities they present for dairy, link HERE to read “GLP-1s will dominate weight loss trends in 2025,” a recent article I wrote for Food Business News. 

The Circana report suggests, “Develop and promote products that align with the dietary needs of GLP-1 users. This includes high-protein, low-calorie or portion control options that support satiety and blood sugar regulation. Foods rich in fiber, as well as vegetables, eggs and nuts, can help boost GLP-1 levels naturally.” Dairy can help, too. 

In addition, “Ensure that GLP-1-friendly products are widely available and affordable. This can involve working with retailers to offer promotions and discounts on products that support GLP-1 users’ dietary needs.”

This will be a topic of discussion at the International Dairy Foods Associations’ upcoming Ice Cream and Cultured Innovation Conference. There will be a general session on “Unlocking the Potential of the GLP1Landscape.” For more information on the conference, link HERE.
 

 

2. Speaking of cultured dairy…fermented dairy foods are projected to boom in the next few years. A recent report from Future Market Insights expects the global fermented dairy products market to grow from an estimated value of $5.9 billion in 2025 to about $11.2 billion by 2035. This growth corresponds to a compound annual growth rate of 6.5% over the 10-year forecast period. 

Fueling this growth is consumer preference for natural, minimally processed foods and beverages. This category includes cottage cheese, kefir, probiotic drinks, sour cream, yogurt and more.

 

“The fermented dairy products market is set for accelerated growth, driven by rising consumer health awareness, evolving food preferences and expanded global distribution networks,” says Nandini Roy Choudhury, client partner at Future Market Insights. “Industry players should leverage these trends to tap into emerging opportunities and innovate to meet shifting consumer demands.”

 

 

The U.S. dairy industry needs to work with retailers to do a better job of helping shoppers identify functional fermented foods in the supermarket. Check out these refrigerators in Spain. Products are categorized by functional benefit and composition. 

3. And guess what? Dairy is healthy. We all knew that. The FDA recently released a final rule updating the definition of the voluntary, implied nutrient content claim “healthy, modifying criteria that had not been revised in three decades. The new definition is consistent with the current Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which are set to be updated for 2025 to 2030 by the end of this year. 

To qualify for the healthy claim, a product needs to:

• Contain one or more food group or subgroup equivalent from the Dietary Guidelines, including dairy (fat free and low fat), fruits, vegetables, grains and/or protein foods; and
• Meet set limits for the three dietary components of public health concern: sodium, added sugars and saturated fat. This eliminates the claim on flavored milks and yogurts high in added sugars. But I know all of you are working on getting those levels down.

Companies can begin to use the new standards for the voluntary healthy claim on February 25, 2025. Any companies using the voluntary healthy claim must adhere to the new standards by February 25, 2028.

4. The food-at-home category is witnessing significant growth as we enter the new year, thanks largely to shifting economic conditions, technological advancements and consumer preferences. The 84.51 company, the retail data science, insights and media analysts helping Kroger and its partners create customer-centric shopper journeys, has identified a number of food-at-home trends to watch in 2025. They include:

• Competing on value: Value is intertwined with trust, and consumers are looking for brands and retailers they can trust to help them stretch their budget with quality food.
• Mindful consumption: Consumers are focused on making informed decisions that balance financial constraints with health and wellness.
• Demand for convenience: Consumers are seeking ways to reduce the mental effort required for meal planning and preparation.
• Global flavors: The demand for food that reflects different cultures and flavors is increasing as quickly as the U.S. population diversifies.

Dairy is all this and more. 

5. The final wowza item may be a bit premature, but I predict it will follow a similar trajectory path as mochi, which went mainstream in the U.S. about a decade ago. This trend complements the “global flavors” item above, and its Thai Iced Coffee. 

In case you missed Thursday’s Daily Dose of Dairy, Nestle USA has teamed up with HBO to offer Thai-inspired Coffee Mate The White Lotus Creamers. The third season of this series will come out February 16 and takes place in Thailand. This is a country where sweetened condensed milk is a staple. It’s a flavor profile rather unknown in the U.S. I only remember it being used when I was child to make Magic Cookie Bars. 

Anyway, sweetened condensed milk is the base for traditional Thai iced coffee and is the flavor profile of one of the new Coffee mate creamers. It has an overtly sweet caramelized flavor profile that complements one of the forecasted biggest flavors of 2025, which is brown sugar.

Brown sugar features a rich, complex flavor profile that makes it popular in a wide array of foods and beverages, including lattes. Since brown sugar is not refined to remove all of its molasses content, it retains an intense caramel-like richness and a warm color that makes this ingredient popular among foodies and culinary influencers on social media.

Consider working these flavors into everything from butter to cream cheese spread to ice cream to yogurt.
Happy New Year!

 

Goodbye 2024! Buckle Up and Get Ready for the New Year!

 

Happy Holidays! This will be the last Friday blog posting until after the New Year. Best wishes to you and yours! 

Sincerely, Donna Berry on Dairy

(This photo was taken at the pop-up ALDI Charcuterie Chalet in Chicago.)


Here are five considerations for innovation in 2025. 

1. Prioritize nutrition communication in 2025. Dairy is rocking it in the nutrition department, but today’s youth may need reminding. Early on, it was drilled into the brains of older folks—anyone over a half-century--that dairy is the key to bone health and preventing osteoporosis. We saw what osteoporosis looked like in our grandparents and elders: stooped posture, loss of height, broken bones and more. These symptoms are not so in-your-face anymore, because many of us who are over a half century were careful and made sure we consumed sufficient calcium, vitamin D and protein. Today’s youth needs reminding!  

2. Embrace the Dietary Guidelines and highlight dairy’s role in them. In case you missed it, the 2025 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) issued a final scientific report this week. The report went to the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Agriculture (USDA) to inform the development of the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs). The DGAC advised HHS and USDA to continue to recommend that Americans consume three servings of dairy per day and that dairy products stay a distinct food group in recognition of their unmatched health and nutrition benefits. 

Maybe communicate this dietary recommendation on dairy foods packaging?

“Twenty leading dietitians, physicians and public health experts that comprise the federal DGAC confirmed dairy products should continue to maintain a central, important role in federal nutrition recommendations for people beginning at a very early age and that most Americans should consume three servings of dairy per day,” said Roberta Wagner, senior vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs at the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). “The committee, which evaluates the latest findings and overall bodies of evidence in nutrition science, found strong evidence pointing to positive health outcomes from dairy foods. In fact, the committee includes dairy as a core category in the recommended ‘Eat Healthy Your Way’ dietary pattern alongside fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes and whole grains."

 

 

“The U.S. dairy industry is pleased to see that the science has once again affirmed the unmatched health and nutrition benefits that dairy products provide to people of all ages," said Wagner. "The DGAC scientific report confirmed lactose-free dairy as an integral part of the dairy group, ensuring dairy nutrition is accessible to all Americans. The report also highlighted the association between total and higher fat milk with favorable growth outcomes, including lower risk of obesity, in younger children. Dairy processors provide a wide range of nutritious dairy options, at a variety of fat and sweetness levels that can work within the healthy diets of Americans. No matter the level of sweetness or fat, milk, yogurt and cheese provide the same nutrient package of up to 13 essential nutrients.

“Unfortunately, the DGAC excluded a number of scientific studies which show the health benefits of dairy at each fat level. IDFA has for many months urged the Committee to disclose what research it would rely upon to form its recommendations, yet the DGAC science selection and review process remained opaque and unavailable to public review and comment until now, after the report has been submitted to HHS and USDA. There is robust evidence to support the federal government disposing of its outdated recommendation to limit dairy consumption based on fat level. The latest science shows that full-fat dairy products do not increase risk of cardiovascular disease or weight gain, and that they may in fact have positive health benefits. IDFA provided the Committee with the body of science to support this point, but the vast majority of those studies were ultimately excluded from DGAC review. IDFA encourages HHS and USDA to remedy this oversight in the final DGAs expected to issue in 2025, and to work to ensure a more transparent and scientifically rigorous process for the development of future DGAC reports.”

3. Go lactose free. Consumer demand for lactose-free dairy products is predicted to grow rapidly over the next five years. Earlier this year, USDA released a final rule to update meal patterns for the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program. The agency re-emphasized lactose-free milk as an option in all reimbursable meals. Offering lactose-free milk as a choice to all students supports child health and nutrition equity in school meals.

The dairy industry is uniquely poised to use the lactase enzyme to assist with converting milk’s inherent sugar--lactose, a disaccharide—into its sweeter-tasting monosaccharide units: glucose and galactose. It’s a win-win for marketers who want to make an added sugar content claim and consumers who avoid lactose because of digestive issues. 

4. Market to GLP-1 users. This is going to be an evolving space with lots of activity and high-protein dairy foods are well poised to play in it. Just this week, Conagra Brands announced a first-of-its-kind initiative in the food industry. Starting in January 2025, the company’s Healthy Choice line will feature an “On Track” badge on 26 select items, indicating that the products are high in protein, low calorie and a good source of fiber, which make these items “GLP-1 friendly.” Healthy Choice is the first major food brand to call out “GLP-1 Friendly” on the package. The badge is designed to help consumers easily identify nutritious and convenient options that suit their dietary needs.
GLP-1 medications, reported to now being used by nearly 15 million U.S. adults, help manage Type 2 diabetes and support weight loss. These medications suppress appetite, which can lead to reduced nutrient intake. 

5. Newstalgia will dominate in 2025. As the name suggests, newstalgia refers to nostalgic items with a new twist, often an improvement or enhancement to the original. In food and beverage, this is Gen Z taking an interest in products from the 70s and 80s, the years their parents grew up and when life was much less stressful and social media did not exist. The good old days for those of us more than a half century old. 

Think holiday sweater turned into a charcuterie board.

Newstalgia is more than making everything old new again. It’s about taking products from a few decades ago that brought joy to consumers, and bringing them back with 21st century appeal. That joy, that appeal is about the experience. 

It might be time to explore your company’s product innovation archives and revisit some of those items. 

And for fun, explore THESE 45 FOODS from “back In the day.” Thanks Buzz Feed for a great nostalgic article. 

Need Innovation Inspiration? Attend the Dairy Products, Process & Packaging Innovation Conference: February 18-20, 2025, at The Cliffs Resort in Shell Beach, CA.
 
The upcoming Dairy Products, Process & Packaging Innovation Conference is set to bring together a diverse group of dairy producers, processors, suppliers and researchers in the field. The 2025 conference theme is “Navigating Trends, Technologies and Tomorrow’s Consumer,” highlighting the rapidly changing landscape of the dairy sector and the need to adapt to new consumer preferences and demands. 

The program features sessions covering sustainability, new dairy product innovation, automation and more. Attendees will also hear global insights, product success stories, cutting-edge academic research and explore opportunities and challenges for dairy production and processing. The event will provide extensive networking opportunities, connecting participants with industry experts, researchers, and entrepreneurs to facilitate dialogue that can inspire innovation across the dairy industry. 

With early bird registration open until January 5, 2025, this is a must-attend event for those looking to drive innovation in the dairy sector—from processors and suppliers to ingredient manufacturers. This event is co-organized by the California Dairy Innovation Center, California Milk Advisory Board, Dairy Management, Inc., and the California Dairy Research Foundation with support from industry and the Pacific Coast Coalition. Find program details and registration HERE.