The whey and milk ingredients BLOG

Dairy products

As part of LACTALIS Group, the leading dairy company in the world, LACTALIS Ingredients leverages over 85 years of dairy tradition to deliver technical expertise and offer a sweeping range of ingredients adapted to dairy applications such as yoghurts, recombined dairy products or ice cream.

Market overview

Dairy products have the highest sales in the packaged product category (GlobalData 2020) and show some of the fastest innovation growth in the food industry. Dairy category is dynamic everywhere, but regional differences are significant. Africa is more oriented towards dairy drinks, as is Asia, where functional milks are particularly popular. In the Middle East, all categories of dairy products are dynamic, but this is especially the case for yoghurts and drinking yoghurts. Finally, Europe and North America show a growing demand for dairy desserts, with a strong trend for ethnic yoghurts (skyr, kefir, etc.), particularly in Europe.

Main drivers in the dairy products category are:

Healthy snacks: consumers are looking for convenient products that are both indulgent and nutritious. This demand creates a space for dairy products with a beneficial effect on digestive, immune and mental health, such as products rich in protein and fibre, in addition to on-the-go formats.
Sustainability: environmental and ethical issues are a rising focus. While organic is still an important factor in developing countries, in mature markets, concerns about animal welfare, farmers’ wellbeing and environment drive consumer purchases.

Our range for yoghurts

Yogurts have a positive image and are considered nutritious dairy products. Both spoonable and drinkable yoghurts are a way to meet the growing consumer demand for healthy snacking with:

higher protein intake
less fat
less sugar

Yoghurt manufacturers want a homogeneous and stable texture, a rich and creamy mouthfeel, as well as enrichment solutions and recipe cost optimisation. Our ingredients answer these particular needs with:

Skimmed milk powder for a milky taste
Laktein® WPC 80 to increase gel strength, viscosity and reduce syneresis
WPC 35 as a functional source of protein
Lactowell whey permeate as a cost effective solution

Our range for dairy beverages

In line with the growing demand for dairy products and “on-the-go” trend, beverages are suitable to different lifestyles and diets. Thanks to their adaptable formulas, our range of dairy solutions can meet many different needs, including:

Protein and milk calcium enrichment
Heat stability
Protein standardisation
Costs savings

Using dairy ingredients will help achieve both nutritional and functional assets:

Skimmed milk powder for a milky taste
Flowhey® as a source of cost-competitive solids with a clean dairy taste and heat stable properties
Demlac 8000 demineralised whey powder for a mild flavour
Lactowell whey permeate as a cost effective solution.

Our range for recombined dairy products

Recombination is a way of obtaining good quality dairy products in some countries where there is no available fresh milk.

To respond to these particular needs, dairy ingredients can be used to produce UHT milk, sweet condensed milk, yoghurts, or cheese. Our customers have precise expectations regarding ingredients they are looking for, including:

Dairy flavour
Texturising properties
Creamy mouthfeel
Easy incorporation
Recipe cost optimization

We provide solutions for recombined dairy products such as:

Low heat skimmed milk powder for soft cheese manufacturing
UHT skimmed milk powder for recombined milk
Whole milk powder with an adequate protein content for yoghurts or drinks
Fat-filled dairy powders for beverages or fermented products
Flowhey® heat stable sweet whey powder
Lactose and Lactowell whey permeate
Demlac 8000 demineralised whey powder

Our range for ice cream and frozen desserts

The ice-cream market is mainly driven by pleasure and new healthier solutions (clean label, natural and authentic recipes) in developed countries. In emerging regions, the consumption is fast developing thanks to impulse buying.

Each kind of ice cream (bulk, soft, Italian-style or extruded ice cream) requires specific functionalities:

Extrusion capacity
Meltdown delay
Shrinkage reduction
Emulsification properties
Recipe costs optimization

For all these requirements, we offer dairy solutions such as:

Dairy powders to bring milky taste, extrusion capacity and shrinkage resistance
Buttermilk powders to enhance taste and creaminess
Anhydrous milk fat and butter to improve texture and organoleptic qualities
Whey proteins (Laktein 30, Fromy 35, Pronativ® 80) to optimise meltdown delay and creaminess
High fluidity Flowhey® sweet whey powders to enhance creaminess while reducing recipe costs.