The Future of Dairy Includes Hybrid, but please don't call it hybrid.

 

Once upon a time there was a product called ice milk, a lower-fat, lower-calorie form of ice cream. The name itself was suggestive of an inferior product, as it was frozen milk, not frozen cream. Before the Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA) was signed into law on Nov. 8, 1990, any product labeled ice cream had to contain at least 10% butterfat, among other requirements. The product called ice milk had less butterfat, hence the name. The NLEA allowed ice milk to be called ice cream, as long as it included a legally defined reference to the butterfat content, such as nonfat, fat-free and low-fat.

Along with those labeling changes, there came significant improvements in ingredient and manufacturing technology. Think slow churn. 

That’s brings me to hybrid, as it relates to food. It’s not an appealing term. In fact, one of the online definitions reads: the offspring of two plants or animals of different species or varieties, such as a mule (a hybrid of a donkey and a horse). 

The fact is that the growing global population needs to rely on more nutrients from plants in order to thrive. Another fact is that beyond beverage, most of the plant-based dairy alternatives in the marketplace did not satisfy the sensory expectations, nutritional needs and budget of the flexitarian trying to mix things up in their diet for their wellbeing and the health of the planet. Enter the hybrid concept. But, it needs a better name.

According to a hot-off-the-presses report from Fact.MR, a market research and competitive intelligence provider, the global Hybrid Dairy Products Market is projected to be about a $22 million business in 10 years. The research firm has a broad definition for hybrid dairy and it includes everything from toddler pouches that combine yogurt and vegetables to spoonable desserts made with cows milk and chia seeds. Blending proteins in nutritional foods to maximize the protein content is a huge opportunity.  

In the U.S., hybrid protein products currently can be found in the nutritional and meal replacement beverage space. Any suggestion to the hybrid formulation is typically limited to ingredient legend.  

Because dairy foods remain one of the most highly regulated food categories in terms of product names and descriptors in the U.S. and elsewhere, hybrid concepts of cheese, ice cream, yogurt, etc., would not be able to be called by such legally defined names. They need their own identity, and please, hybrid is not going to cut it. But there’s potential in this space, according to Fact.MR research.  

 “By creatively fusing traditional dairy with cutting-edge plant-based ingredients, hybrid dairy products are slowly but surely changing consumer preferences and the structure of contemporary diets. Hybrid choices provide the best of both components—delicious flavors combined with greater health benefits—as health-conscious people seek out nutritional diversity,” according to the report.   

If your product development team is not already exploring this space, it’s time to do so. But, please don’t call it hybrid. 

Dairy Innovation Health and Wellness Contest Picks Winners at Future of Dairy Expo

 

The Real California Milk Excelerator competition returned for a sixth year. Hosted by the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), in partnership with innovation advisory VentureFuel, this year’s innovation competition was for health and wellness startups. 

Last night, Nov. 14, 2024, eight judges (myself being one of them) selected four of the seven finalists to move onto the second phase of the contest. 

The four companies and their products:

Drink Todo is a high-protein, high-fiber breakfast smoothie designed to provide a convenient and nutritious solution for busy lifestyles. The shelf-stable meal replacement features 25 grams of milk protein and 6 grams of dietary fiber in every 12-ounce bottle. It is also enriched with essential vitamins and minerals.

Pluff is a high-protein dessert primarily made from a combination of Greek yogurt, heavy cream, cottage cheese and whey protein blended and whipped together. It’s a brand new concept unlike anything in the marketplace. 

Projo is an instant coffee blend of organic Arabica coffee, marine collagen, organic coffee fruit extract, digestive enzymes and 100% whole milk. This coffee boosts energy and supports health and wellness. A ready-to-drink version is in the works

Smearcase is FroCo, a trademarked name for the world’s first cottage cheese-based frozen dairy dessert. The product is infused with collagen and provides 40 grams of dairy protein per pint. Smearcase was the People’s Choice winner. 

The annual competition, which focuses on accelerating value-added products using real milk, features an immersive mentorship program and access to non-dilutive capital and an innovation ecosystem for brand growth. The winners made their final pitches at the end of the Future of Dairy Expo, which included a number of panel discussions on hot topics in dairy innovation along with an expo floor featuring products tastings. 

The Real California Milk Excelerator is the largest global dairy accelerator. The program is open to innovative companies producing products made with at least 50% real milk or dairy. This year, these products had to leverage the benefits of dairy to promote health, wellness and general well-being. This year’s competition offered a value of up to $500,000 in prizes and program value for products that introduce novel applications in any form and drive utilization of Real California dairy.

“Innovation is the lifeblood for all industries. Our investment in the Excelerator and the California Dairy Innovation Center continues to introduce new products and innovators/founders into the pipeline and relationship with Real California Milk,” said John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB (pictured above, right). “With an overall market value of more than $5 trillion, the health and wellness focus make sense and allows us to hone in on startups that are leveraging the natural goodness of milk and its myriad benefits. Wellness for consumers is an everyday pursuit – whether physical or mental – and real dairy delivers. This is an exciting time to create products and we look forward to connecting with founders to take them to the next level.”

Each of the seven finalist of the 2024 cohort had access to a group stipend and a robust network of resources to refine and scale their product and business. They also participated in a three-month immersive CMAB/VentureFuel Mentorship Program, consisting of elite counsel from successful founders, investors, leading corporate executives and experts across design, marketing, sales, manufacturing, distribution, farming and processing industries. 

The four winners received $30,000 each to grow and expand their product in California and have access to an Investor/Buyer Virtual Roadshow. One participating company will unlock an additional $100,000 grand prize by establishing their presence in California and exhibiting the most promising growth within 12 months of the final competition. 

From the 2023 cohort, that winner is Petit Pot, a French-style dairy dessert sold in paper-based cups that are made with more than 80% sustainable/renewable fiber.    

The other three finalists from the 2024 cohort are: 

Stellify, which is a low-calorie, functional, dairy-based energy and wellness shot made with reduced-fat lactose-free milk for lactose-intolerant individuals. It features natural caffeine from coffee cherry, theobromine and L-theanine. 

TruJoy is an elevated frozen Greek yogurt made with simple, natural and timeless ingredients. It boasts a robust nutritional profile, with protein and probiotics, as well as a clean label.

Voyager Milk is the only USDA organic dried whole milk for toddlers. It comes in a convenient stick-pack format for on-the-go usage.

Congrats to all participating companies. They are all winners in my eyes!

Foods for Females in 2025

 

A number of associations and research authorities are forecasting “Foods for Females” to thrive in 2025 (unless this right is taken away). Both dairy and non-dairy concepts will have an important role in the well-being of women.

Globally, the trend leads with nutrition and supplements for managing menopause. This was very present at the recent SupplySide West expo in Las Vegas.
Google searches for “menopause” are up 52% since 2019. Products catering to this population are expected to be worth $24.4 billion globally by 2030, according to Circana data. 

An estimated one billion women worldwide are currently in the menopausal stage of life, which can be a multi-year struggle for many. Fortunately, the subject is no longer taboo, or at least for now. 

Declining estrogen levels affect muscle mass, which makes complete and high-quality protein consumption very important. Protein may also improve bone health.

According to a 2017 study published Osteoporosis International, women over 50 who consumed dairy protein daily had an 8% lower risk of hip fracture, and those who ate beans and soy reduced fracture risk by 12%. Both dairy and soy are high-quality, complete proteins. 

Dairy products also provide calcium to strengthen bones and protect them from fractures. They also provide many other key nutrients for healthy aging, including phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins D and K.

The same study showed that people who regularly eat dairy products have higher bone density than those who do not. Good dairy options include low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese. 

Here’s the deal with menopausal women. Most women are only able to cite a few of the almost 50 symptoms that are signs of menopause. These are the signs they feel, such as night sweats and rapid heart rate. There’s so much more going on inside that science has learned in recent years and food and supplement scientists have the opportunity to formulate foods to assist from the inside out.

Women are looking for relief from their symptoms. There’s a great deal of opportunity for products in this space. One that comes to mind is a no-sugar-added, high-protein lavender-flavored kefir.

Lifeway Foods recently rolled out such a product. One of the 10 new flavors in its 8-ounce Organic Kefir line is Wild Blueberry Lavendar. The entire line is lactose-free, as consumer demand for lactose-free dairy products is predicted to grow rapidly over the next five years. The new line is loaded with high-quality bioavailable nutrients, including protein, calcium and 12 live and active probiotic cultures. The new line was fueled by Lifeway CEO Julie Smolyansky, a long-time friend of mine and an inspirational female leader.

The Foods for Female trend is not just for over-40 women. It’s for young ladies, too. 

The Specialty Food Association (SFA) Trendspotter Panel provided a sneak peek at the future of food this past week. The group identified Girl Dinner 2.0 as a growing trend for 2025. 

“Snacking is here to stay, with freestyle format and flavor combinations infusing new energy into the red-hot category. Consumers will become even more flexible with how they eat in 2025,” predicted Trendspotter Melanie Bartelme, who is also the associate director for Mintel Food & Drink, and another long-time friend of mine. “Most U.S. consumers eat traditional meals every day, but snacking is on the rise. Savvy food and drink brands will help consumers see the products they make as suitable for however consumers choose to eat them. Think pizza cupcakes for lunch, jianbing for dinner and dumplings as a snack.”

Who does this more than anyone? It’s females, especially educated multi-taskers who are trying to do it all and don’t have time for a three-hour catered boardroom meal. 

Look for “familiar snacks with a twist,” said Trendspotter Jeannie Houchins, a global food and beverage communications executive.

And for the youngest cohort--Gen Z—they are joining the health- and wellness-journey early. Female Gen Z are all about supporting their overall wellness, gut health, mental wellness and radiant skin. In fact, interest in hydrating, non-alcoholic beverages that address comfort concerns like bloating, skin issues and mental health increased by 250% over the last two years, according to Tastewise, an AI-powered consumer insights platform for food and beverage brands.

Gen Z understands the holistic health impact of good hydration hygiene. Leading trends within the realm of hydration include hormone balance (+162% year-over-year growth in consumer associations with hydration), menopause support (+162%), muscle function (+94.7%) and stress relief (+73%), according to Tastewise.

Here’s more from the SFA Trendspotter Panel to assist with formulating Foods for Females. 

“The specialty food market is uniquely powerful at pointing the way forward for the larger food industry, because the makers of specialty products respond first to changing consumer preferences and values,” said Leana Salamah, senior vice president of marketing and communications at the Specialty Food Association. “Looking to 2025, trends like the increasing appetite for real sugar over artificial or the upscaling of cooking at home with premium ingredients will absolutely be reflected in more mainstream outlets.”
 

Trendspotter Kat Craddock, editor in chief and CEO of SAVEUR expects that consumers everywhere will continue to gain access to non-native flavors and new-to-them dishes in convenient formats. And, Trendspotter Kantha Shelke, founder of Corvus Blue LLC and also a long-time friend, said, “Consumers are increasingly seeking gourmet-quality meals in convenient formats. Restaurant visits may decrease in favor of restaurant-quality meals at home thanks to some great home cooking equipment along with more access to top products such as Japanese Wagyu, truffles, and fine oils and cheeses.”

Functional foods and natural enhancements will continue to gain traction. Never forget, milk is one of the original functional foods. Remind shoppers.

“Personalized nutrition will gain momentum, driven by technological advancements and a growing focus on health,” said Trendspotter Patsy Ramirez-Arroyo, a food and sustainability consultant. “Companies will offer customizable product lines, develop AI-powered nutrition apps and create functional foods with targeted health benefits. Functional foods that support cognitive health and emotional well-being will also grow in popularity. Ingredients like adaptogens, nootropics and mood-enhancing botanicals will be featured in various products.”

This includes dairy innovations.

“Functional has expanded beyond beverages,” said Beth Forrest, Professor of Liberal Arts and Food Studies at the Culinary Institute of America.

Other trends identified by the SFA Trendspotter include Black Garlic, Lavender and Flavored Cheeses.

Thank you ladies for your insights!

 

 

Newstalgia Will Dominate in 2025

 

Photo source: McCormick

Newstalgia, as the name suggests, 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 us Gen Xers!

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. 

Colored sugars were once big around the winter holidays. But back in the day, they were just that, colored sugars. This year, McCormick is offering six varieties of Holiday Finishing Sugars. The newstalgia colored sugars come flavored. Some of those flavors are classic favorites, such as Candy Cane, English Toffee, Gingerbread Spice and Hot Cocoa. Salted Caramel and White Frosting are more 21st century. 

 

“When we think about the holidays, we remember special moments from year’s past: cookie and ornament exchanges, scents and smells of family-favorite dishes, and warm beverages on cold nights,” says Giovanna DiLegge, vice president marketing-North America consumer at McCormick. “The new Holiday Finishing Sugars bring a sense of the season with a flavorful, decorative touch to baked goods or beverages. Get the ‘ooh’s’ and ‘aah’s’ out of family gatherings with this new, limited-edition collection.”

Pinkberry is doing it with frozen yogurt. New Snickerdoodle Cookie is a non-tart frozen yogurt topped with sugar, cinnamon-dusted shortbread cookie crumbles and chocolate chips.

“Our new Snickerdoodle Cookie frozen yogurt is a comforting sweet treat that goes beyond the ordinary and will capture the hearts and taste buds of cookie enthusiasts,” says Melissa Hubbell, vice president of marketing for Kahala Brands, parent company of Pinkberry. “The Snickerdoodle Cookie frozen yogurt wouldn’t be complete without the finishing touch of warm, comforting flavors of cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top bringing joy and nostalgia to every bite.”

Up until the early 90s, kids still brought peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to school and peanut packs were served on airplanes. The 21st century rolled in with peanut bans because of a rise in allergies. Well, PB&J is back in full force.

The PB&J sandwich was and still is an American staple in peanut safe households. The average American will eat 1,500 PB&J sandwiches before graduating from high school, according to a survey by the Smucker’s Company.

Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream is turning back the clock by delivering this childhood classic brought to life in ice cream form. New Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream features peanut butter ice cream with strawberry ripple and shortcake pieces to reimagine this sandwich staple into a creamy, dreamy delight.

“Certain foods strike up strong childhood memories, and our new Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream captures that nostalgia in every scoop," says Jennifer Schuler, CEO of Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream. “We love to innovate by reinventing timeless classics, a tradition we’ve upheld throughout our nearly 80-year history. Now more than ever, guests seek familiar, indulgent flavors with a modern twist. Our new flavor offers a universal appeal that sparks kids’ imagination while rekindling fond school day memories for parents and grandparents.”

Cold Stone Creamery went retro this summer with three limited-edition items: 

Classic Fudge Sundae--French Vanilla Ice Cream layered with Fudge, Roasted Almonds, Whipped Topping and topped with a Cherry.

Orange Cream Float--Sweet Cream Ice Cream topped with FANTA Orange Soda and Whipped Topping.

Root Beer Float--French Vanilla Ice Cream topped with Barq’s Root Beer and Whipped Topping.

Bimbo Bakeries USA, manufacturer of Little Bites--the iconic mini-muffin brand that turns 25 this year--is going big for its birthday celebration with the launch of Little Bites Biggie Muffins.
 

 “Our fans grew up with the classic Little Bites muffins in their childhood lunchboxes, after school and on sidelines. Biggie Muffins have allowed us to provide fans of all ages that perfect bite of nostalgia, now in a bigger size, just like them,” says Moira Flood, marketing director. “Biggie Muffins are the perfect snack for those with busy lives who crave a moment of sweet indulgence.”

 

1440 Foods is giving a nostalgic twist to its Pure Protein bar brand with the addition of Sundae Cone. Protein bars barely existed 25 years ago, and then they took off. Gen Z grew up with them and now wants them with new flavor twists. 

GoodPop is getting back into dairy with frozen stick novelties after discontinuing its original line due to an inability to find dairy suppliers that met both GoodPop’s high standards and increasing demand. Recent improvements in the supply of high-quality dairy has finally allowed the better-for-you brand to re-enter the category, according to the company. The company decided to make its big comeback with classic ice cream truck treats: Strawberry Shortcake and Cookies ‘n Cream.

 

Nostalgic cereals are getting a makeover, too. Ghost, a lifestyle brand of sports nutrition products, energy drinks, dietary supplements and apparel, is entering the mainstream food sector with high-protein cereals. The line was developed in partnership with the cereal gurus at General Mills Inc. The Marshmallow variety includes the iconic Lucky Charms marshmallows and provides 17 grams of protein per serving. Peanut Butter provides 18 grams of protein and only 6 grams of sugar per serving. Both cereals are also a good source of calcium and are designed to help consumers keep nutrition goals on track from morning to night. 

 

Classic holiday films evoke nostalgia. One such movie is Home Alone, which premiered in 1990. This year, Danone North America, in partnership with 20th Century Studios, is rolling out an array of International Delight products featuring Kevin McCallister scenes from Home Alone to give consumers a delicious and nostalgic taste of the holiday season. This includes new Hot Chocolate Marshmallow Creamer, along with returning favorites Frosted Sugar Cookie Creamer, Peppermint Mocha Creamer, Peppermint Mocha Zero Sugar Creamer and Peppermint Mocha Iced Coffee.  

Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar franchise was ahead of its time, as most of its offerings are based on newstalgia. This summer, for example, Milk Bar teamed up with Tropicana to make a limited-time-offering. The soft-serve, Orange Squeeze is a nostalgic cream-meets-citrus flavor. A cup sold for $7 and a pint for $13.
“I grew up racing to the ice cream truck to score my favorite creamy, orange and vanilla flavored bar,” says Tosi. “Orange Squeeze is our take on that childhood classic, transporting you back, Milk Bar style, to sweet summer memories of that bright, fresh-tasting combo.”

The pandemic required that Tosi pivot her café business into retail pints. She started with four of the café’s most popular ice creams flavors. Soon, three others followed as the brand gained national distribution. 

Like novelty cups, pints present a package size that readily accommodates lots of inclusions along with unique textures, as compared to larger multi-serve containers that may get too messy when overwhelmed with extras that impact the frozen state.   

The four original pints included Birthday Cake, a birthday cake-flavored ice cream with birthday cake crumbs and ribbons of birthday frosting. The Cereal Milk ice cream base tastes like the bottom of the cereal bowl with some extras in the form of a salty-sweet cornflake crunch. Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow is an ode to the Milk Bar’s bestselling cookie. It combines cornflake crunch, chocolate chunks and gooey marshmallow swirls throughout a cookie dough ice cream. Milk Bar Pie is vanilla ice cream with swirls of a gooey butter filling and toasted oat crumble.
The three additional flavors are Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookie Crush (peanut butter chocolate ice cream with peanut butter cookie crumbs and fudgy chocolate cookie batter); Chocolate Mint Cookies N’ Cream (chocolate mint ice cream, chocolate cookie batter, cookies n’ cream crunch and creamy mint swirl) and Vanilla Sugar Cookie (vanilla cookie swirled into an ultra-creamy pint of vanilla-flavored ice cream with sugar cookies and a frosting swirl).

“I have dreamed about bringing Milk Bar to the freezer section--the holy grail of the supermarket in my opinion--for nearly a decade. I knew coming in now, we’d need to do more than bend pieces of our finished treats into an ice cream pint. So we toiled and tinkered, taking our favorite flavor profiles and imagining them through ice cream bases, swirls, gobs, fudges, frostings, crumbs and crunches to create our proudest on-shelf creation yet,” said Tosi, when the line debuted in June 2021. “Our ice creams are meant for the unapologetically indulgent moments and mean serious business, no two are alike. Whether we already have a place in your heart or you’re looking for even more joy and spirit in your ice cream bowl, we got you!”

Remember to include newstalgia in your product--and package--development.