Innovation Knows No Limits When Dairy Ingredients Are Part of a Dairy Product’s Formulation

It was wonderful to see so many of you in San Luis Obispo for the 18th Annual Dairy Ingredients Symposium this past week. Who knew at that first meeting 18 years ago at the San Francisco Hilton, which has long been replaced by an airport runway, that dairy ingredients, in particular, specialty whey proteins, would be such in-demand ingredients in today’s food and beverage industry?

According to a recently released report from MarketsAndMarkets, the global dairy ingredients market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 5.6% from 2015 to 2020, to reach $59.8 billion. The major drivers of this ingredient segment are increasing awareness towards health and wellness, growth in application sectors, and R&D and innovations to expand applicability and accelerate growth.

This is being driven by millennials who have unprecedented expectations of the food supply chain. They want customization, simplicity and transparency, but at the same time demand convenience, deliciousness and portability. Dairy ingredients in dairy foods—for nutrition and functionality--deliver all this.

Milk, and ingredients made from milk, have a positive image with millennials, as they suggest wholesomeness, farm-to-fork sourcing and nutrient density. This is why formulators are seeking out dairy ingredients for their product development efforts and making package claims such as “made with real milk” and “contains quality dairy proteins.”

The U.S. Dairy Export Council recently posted a blog entitled “Formulate a Clean Label with U.S. Dairy Ingredients.” You can read it HERE.

Here are seven innovative dairy foods concepts made with dairy ingredients.

From Indonesia, NutriFood Introduces WRP On The Go! These shelf-stable milk drinks are designed for health-conscious women on the run. Available in chocolate, coffee and strawberry flavors, the beverage is based on “cows milk, skim milk powder, whey protein isolate and full cream milk powder.” Fortified with fiber, minerals and vitamins, a 200-milliliter serving provides 150 calories, 3 grams of fat, 9 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein. These high levels of protein and fiber are said to satisfy and satiate.

In Finland, Valio recently introduced a range of products under the Valio ProFeel brand. Premier ProFeel Fat-Free Milk Drink contains double the amount of whey proteins found in mainstream milk, with 1-liter containing a whopping 50 grams of total protein. The product is basically skim milk fortified with whey protein. Filtration technology assists with the fortification and also renders the product lactose free.

There are also two (chocolate and strawberry) ProFeel Protein Drinks. With no added sugars (the sweetening system is acesulfame potassium and sucralose) and no lactose, a 250-gram serving contains 20 grams of protein, which comes from low-fat milk and whey. There are also quark options in the ProFeel line.

Speaking of quark, Heideblume Molkerei Elsdorf-Rotenburg AG of Germany recently introduced Elsdorfer Quark + Protein To Go. This low-fat, high-protein fitness snack is targeted to health-conscious active adults. The convenient 90-gram pouch allows for spoon-free eating. The formulation combines fresh soft cheese (quark) with whey protein to deliver 11 gram so protein per pouch.

In Poland, there’s a new cultured dairy product option designed for the breakfast daypart. Jogobella Breakfast is a dual-compartment product with a protein-fortified yogurt-type product on one side and inclusions in the other. The cultured dairy food is made from milk, whey powder, milk protein and skimmed milk powder. Each 125-gram container provides 5 grams of protein. Varieties are: Banana with choco crunchy, Blueberry with choco crunchy, Peach with tropical muesli and Strawberry with a nutty muesli.

ProYo Frozen Yogurt was introduced about three years ago in 4-ounce squeeze tubes. This high-protein probiotic product has been rebranded and repackaged and will make its debut at Natural Products Expo West 2016 in a few weeks. The new package format is a 4-ounce single-serve cup sold in boxes of three. Each serving contains 20 grams of milk protein, live active probiotic cultures, added fiber and only 140 to 150 calories. ProYo comes in four varieties: Banana Vanilla, Blueberry Pomegranate, Dutch Chocolate and Vanilla Bean. It is based on skim milk, whole milk and whey protein concentrate.

Founded by Nathan Carey in 2013 on the idea that big protein could fit into a small, delicious package, the new look boldly answers millennials’ demand for brands with a vibrant personality and convenient, on-the-go packaging. “We carefully listened to feedback from our fans and retail partners and are pumped to showcase our new brand and packaging that make eating an awesome, high-protein food even easier.”

The new branding and packaging features a hint to future innovation. A sleek new trademark and logo not only hints at the original innovation behind the brand, but also speaks to the company’s future by de-emphasizing the “yo,” as ProYo plans to expand beyond yogurt-based products into new categories.

It’s summertime in Cape Town, the perfect time to introduce new frozen dairy desserts. NuWhey is rolling out Skinny Scoop, the first protein-fortified ice cream in South Africa that is also free of added sugars, as it is sweetened with xylitol. Skinny Scoop comes in two varieties—Afterdark Cocoa and Vanilla Camilla—and is made from cream, whole milk and whey protein isolate. A 175-milliliter serving contains 17 grams of protein.

For many of us, summertime is right around the corner. Could this be the year of high-protein ice cream?