Expo West Exhibitors “Made It with Dairy.”

 

The new U.S. Dietary Guidelines emphasize eating whole foods and avoiding products considered ultra-processed; however, the latter remains an undefined term in the U.S. These recommendations align with the trend towards foods made with real, understandable ingredients. With dairy now at the top of the inverted food pyramid, dairy ingredient suppliers anticipate growing interest in brands formulating everything from snack foods to heat-and-eat entrees to premium desserts with “real dairy” and flagging so on packages.  

To read more about what dairy ingredient suppliers are saying, link HERE to an article I wrote for Food Business News on the topic. 

Real dairy—as whole foods, such as cheese, ice cream, milk and yogurt—were everywhere at Natural Products Expo West 2026, which was held March 3 to 6 in Anaheim, California. Real dairy ingredients were also featured in all types of new product introductions. 

The American Dairy Products Institute Make it with Dairy initiative has been promoting the use of dairy ingredients in food and beverage applications for the past few years. It clearly has paid off, as shown by the recent innovations showcased at Expo West. To learn more about Make it with Dairy, link HERE.

To learn more about the dairy ingredients business and meet with suppliers, plan to attend ADPI’s Annual Conference in Chicago this April 26 to 28. Get the details HERE. 

Here are some of the many new products from Expo West that feature dairy ingredients.

“Lose the junk, not the flavor” is the tagline for Junkless Protein Bars from Junkless Foods. They are made without any “junk.” They feature only clean, simple, wholesome ingredients, with the first ingredient being: Protein Blend (whey protein isolate, milk protein isolate and calcium caseinate). Other dairy ingredients in the bars include yogurt powder, whole milk powder and crisps made with whey protein isolate and whey protein concentrate. 

Healthee’s soon-to-roll-out Protein & Fiber beverage is being marketed as a GLP-1 support drink. The no-added-sugar shelf-stable canned beverage provides 20 grams of protein (from micellular casein, for long-term satiety) and 10 grams of fiber. Flavors are Chocolate, Sea Salt Caramel and Vanilla. 

In case you missed Monday’s Daily Dose of Dairy, Muscle Milk is now being made with real complete cows’ milk. The new Muscle Milk PRO series from PepsiCo features ultra-filtered milk as the first ingredient. The shelf-stable beverages come in prisma boxes and plastic bottles and flag “high-quality protein” and “sustains healthy muscles.” Three protein contents per container are available: 42, 33 and 26 grams. The drinks are also described as clean label, as they contain no artificial flavor or sweeteners and no added colors. They are sweetened with stevia. 

On Tuesday, Zen Protein Pudding was featured as a Daily Dose of Dairy. The new refrigerated dairy desserts feature milk protein concentrate as the first ingredient. Milk and cream are also part of the formulation. One 6-ounce cup contains 20 grams of protein. 

Legendary Foods (opening image) packs almost every dairy ingredient imaginable into its new line of Protein Pasta cups. The first ingredient is: Dairy Protein Blend (milk protein, casein, milk protein concentrate and whey protein isolate). Other ingredients include cheese, cream, butter, buttermilk, milkfat and nonfat dry milk. 

Protein Pop is growing its canned beverage range with sparkling Protein Pop Plus. The zero-sugar carbonated drink provides 30 grams of a clear protein blend of whey and bovine collagen per 12-ounce can. The product is described as supporting muscle growth and retention, and being highly satiating. Flavors are Citrus, Mango Peach and Orange Cream. The new line joins the original non-carbonated Protein Pop line that delivers 22 grams of whey protein isolate per can. Flavors are: Blue Raspberry, Peach, Pina Colada and Watermelon. 

Designer Wellness is adding caffeine to its shelf-stable dairy protein and fruit smoothies. Each 4.2-ounce Energy Smoothie pouch provides 100 milligrams of caffeine and 5 grams of protein from whey protein isolate. Varieties are Blue Raspberry, Fruit Punch and Strawberry Watermelon. 

Refrezz is a line of shelf-stable canned postbiotic beverages. The beverage is designed to help one relax and recharge, and it supports improved immunity. It is crafted with the power of two scientifically researched postbiotics, CP2305 and L-92, which deliver benefits through inactivated bacterial strains and bioactive compounds. The wellness sodas contain less than 1 gram of protein per serving, which comes from the nonfat dry milk used in the formulation. 

A shout out to Dairy Management Inc., a U.S. nonprofit organization that promotes and markets dairy products and is funded primarily by dairy farmers through the checkoff program. DMI’s booth, located next to the California Milk Marketing Board’s booth, gave dairy a huge presence in the North Hall in the Hot New Products section. The organization also hosted an educational session titled “What Consumers Really Want and Emerging Ways to Deliver It.”

Here are some functional food concepts created by DMI and its partners. The innovations were fueled by products in the marketplace and address four booming functional needs: beauty, muscles, nutrition and sleep.