Milk & Dairy

DMK GROUP

© DMK GROUP

Europe’s Largest Dairy Cooperative Merger Could Open New Opportunities for Plant-Based Innovation

The DMK Group and Arla Foods have announced their intention to merge, creating Europe’s largest dairy-focused cooperative. The merger, which is subject to approval from both cooperatives’ representative assembly and regulatory authorities, will bring together over 12,000 farmers and achieve pro forma sales of €19 billion. While the merger primarily targets the dairy sector, it also has significant implications for the growing plant-based dairy market. Both companies have increasingly expanded into the plant-based space, and the merger may further accelerate this trend. Expansion of plant-based offerings Arla Foods, traditionally known for its dairy products, has been expanding its plant-based product range in response to the growing demand for vegan alternatives. One of its recent innovations includes the launch of the Arla® Pro soft serve mix, …

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Vivici protein powder

© Vivici

Vivici Launches Animal-Free Dairy Protein in the US Active Nutrition Market

Ingredients startup Vivici has introduced Vivitein™ BLG, a precision-fermented dairy protein, to the US market. The beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) protein, produced without the use of animals, is positioned for use in the active nutrition sector, which was valued at $28.4 billion globally in 2023. Vivici, founded in 2023 and backed by dsm-firmenich and Fonterra, specializes in precision fermentation technology. The company’s flagship ingredient, Vivitein™ BLG, is self-affirmed as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) in the US and is available for B2B customers developing products such as protein beverages, powders, and bars. According to Vivici, the ingredient offers functional benefits, including improved solubility in water-based drinks, rapid absorption in protein powders, and a texture comparable to traditional dairy-based protein bars. Vivici CEO Stephan van Sint Fiet stated …

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Vivici

© Vivici

Vivici Secures €32.5M to Expand Its Precision Fermentation-Derived Dairy Proteins

Dutch ingredients startup Vivici has secured €32.5 million in a Series A funding round led by APG (on behalf of one of the world’s largest pension funds, ABP) and Invest-NL. The round also saw participation from InnovationQuarter, along with existing shareholders dsm-firmenich and Fonterra. The news comes after Vivici secured its first customer offtake agreements for dairy proteins made with precision fermentation. The funding will be used to expand into new international markets, launch a second dairy protein ingredient, and establish long-term manufacturing capabilities. Through its proprietary protein platform, ViviteinTM, Vivici hopes to complement the protein production of the dairy industry. The company’s first ingredient, ViviteinTM BLG, is targeted at consumers in the active nutrition category. It is suitable for use in products such as …

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rice milk

© chandlervid85 - stock.adobe.com

Tokyo’s Kinish Raises $800,000 USD to Scale Rice-Based Casein Production

Tokyo-based food tech startup Kinish Inc. has secured $800,000 USD (¥120 million) in a seed funding round to advance its rice-based dairy alternative technology. The funding was led by Genesia Ventures, Lifetime Ventures, Full Commit Partners, and Mitsubishi UFJ Capital. Kinish is working to develop a rice-based source of casein, the key protein found in milk, using plant molecular agriculture. The company’s goal is to create plant-based dairy alternatives that closely replicate conventional dairy in taste and texture, while also addressing environmental concerns tied to livestock farming. CEO Hiroya Hashizume explained that the company’s mission is rooted in both sustainability and food enjoyment. “We believe that ‘small moments of excitement’ are essential to human life, and delicious food plays a key role in that. However, …

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Kiki Milk

© PlantBaby

Children’s Plant-Based Milk Brand Kiki Milk Expands Into Sprouts Farmers Market Locations US-Wide

Kiki Milk, a children’s plant-based milk brand produced by PlantBaby, has announced an expansion into Sprouts Farmers Market. The brand’s 32oz Original, Chocolate, and Unsweetened flavors will be available at all 440 Sprouts locations US-wide, meeting the growing demand for clean-label, nutrient-rich, and non-dairy options. First launched in 2022, the shelf-stable 32oz cartons feature a resealable spout and will retail at $6.99. The milk alternatives are suitable for both children and adults, and can be used in coffee, baking, cereal, smoothies, and more. Kiki Milk is made from organic, whole-food ingredients such as oats, hemp seeds, sprouted pumpkin seeds, and coconuts. It provides 5g of plant protein per serving and is said to be a good source of calcium and magnesium. The milk alternative is …

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lactoferrin

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Earth First Food Ventures Launches US’s First Precision Fermentation Facility for Lactoferrin

Earth First Food Ventures Ltd (EFFV), a venture capital firm focused on ESG and impact investments in food technology, has announced the launch of PFerrinX26, the first US-based facility dedicated exclusively to the precision fermentation of Lactoferrin (LF). This facility aims to address the growing global shortage of Lactoferrin, a protein with significant health benefits and applications in various sectors, including immune support and gut health. The facility’s establishment in the United States is also a strategic decision, given the country’s favorable regulatory environment for innovative food technologies. This decision underscores EFFV’s goal of scaling precision fermentation dairy in a market where the infrastructure and regulatory framework are better aligned to support such innovations. Ricardo Radwanski, CFO and co-founder of EFFV, stated, “We’re thrilled to …

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Brevel partners with CBC Group

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Brevel Partners With CBC Group to Produce Microalgae-Enriched Beverages at Scale

Microalgae protein producer Brevel has signed a development and commercialization agreement with Israel’s Central Bottling Company (CBC Group) to develop functional beverages and dairy alternatives. The ten-year purchase agreement will see Brevel supply CBC Group with microalgae protein, oils, and antioxidants. As part of the alliance, CBC Group made a strategic investment in Brevel’s most recent funding round. To cultivate microalgae, Brevel uses a “breakthrough process” combining light with sugar fermentation in indoor bioreactors. This allows for the production of large quantities of microalgae without genetic modification. Microalgae is naturally rich in protein, lipids, fiber, and bioactive antioxidants derived from photosynthesis. Brevel’s process produces a neutral-tasting white powder consisting of 60-70% microalgae protein concentrate. Its functional properties are said to replicate the textures, flavors, and …

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Standing Ovation partners with Ajinomoto Foods Europe

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Standing Ovation Partners With Ajinomoto Foods Europe to Produce Animal-Free Caseins at Scale

Standing Ovation, a French biotech company specialising in precision fermentation applied to dairy proteins, has announced a long-term strategic partnership with Ajinomoto Foods Europe (AFE). AFE is an affiliate of Japan’s Ajinomoto Group with over 50 years of expertise in industrial fermentation. The goal of the partnership is to produce animal-free caseins at AFE’s biomanufacturing plant in Nesle, France. Standing Ovation has developed an animal-free casein powder called Advanced Casein® using patented precision fermentation technology. The ingredient can be used to create a variety of sustainable animal-free dairy products, including cheese, ice cream, yogurt, and foaming milk. These products retain the functional and sensory qualities of traditional dairy. Through the collaboration with AFE, Standing Ovation will gain access to large-scale manufacturing capabilities at a site …

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Dr. Svenja Prosseda of Senara

Dr. Svenja Prosseda © Senara

Deep Dive on Senara’s Cultivated Cow Milk Without the Cow: “The Opportunities Are Virtually Limitless”

Svenja Prosseda is CEO and joint founder of Senara GmbH, which has engineered the technology and is now producing cultivated cow milk. Its primary focus is on producing cow milk sustainably; using bioreactor technology to cultivate bio-identical milk, outside of the cow. This young company has already been recognised with a slew of accolades. Just this week Senara was shortlisted in the last 20 from around 5,500 competitors, by SLUSH 2024. Svenja and her husband and co-founder Phillip Prosseda will soon travel to Helsinki for the announcement of the winners with a potential €1,000,000 investment. This will certainly help them reach their objective to commercialise cell-cultivated milk by 2028. Scientific and technological advancements in dairy farming has seen milk yields increased dramatically over the last …

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Protoga Biotech, a Chinese company pioneering microalgae fermentation, announces the launch of a microalgae milk product that is said to be rich in protein and lutein, lactose, and cholesterol-free while meeting consumers' expectations for taste.

Image courtesy of Protoga Biotech

China’s Protoga Biotech Unveils “World’s First” Commercial Microalgae Milk

Protoga Biotech, a Chinese company pioneering microalgae fermentation, announces the launch of a microalgae milk product that is said to be rich in protein and lutein, while at the same time lactose and cholesterol-free and able to match consumer expectations for taste. The product, claimed to be the world’s first commercially available microalgae plant milk, is expected to launch this December. The company’s founder, Dr. Yibo Xiao, told vegconomist, our sister platform, that it had completed the pilot-scale phase and is gearing up for industrial production within the next two months. “Microalgae milk is a plant-based dairy product made primarily from microalgae. Microalgae, as an ancient and diverse biological resource, are rich in high-quality proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, various carotenoids, and other metabolites,” he explains. …

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DairyX

© DairyX

DairyX Uses Yeast to Develop Smart Casein Proteins for Animal-Free Dairy

Israel’s DairyX Foods has announced a major development in its work to create authentic animal-free milk proteins using precision fermentation. The startup has created a new method that uses yeast to produce “smart casein proteins” that can self-assemble into micelles, the primary building blocks of dairy products. Additionally, it has refined a technology that enhances the gelation of the micelles, allowing for the development of firm, stretchy animal-free dairy products using traditional dairy manufacturing processes. This method could eliminate the need for additives such as stabilizers, emulsifiers, and thickeners. It could also help to make animal-free dairy affordable, as the company is creating yeast strains that produce exceptionally high casein yields in short timeframes. Furthermore, it provides a “drop-in replacement” for milk, meaning it can …

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