Nestlé develops new product from animal-free dairy proteins

Nestlé has been testing technologies for animal-free dairy proteins and will pilot its new alternative-milk product through the company's newly established U.S. R+D Accelerator.

The lactose-free product is made with animal-free protein from Perfect Day, which has been developed through precision fermentation technology.

The protein is claimed to provide good nutritional and functionality benefits and be suitable for vegans.

Heike Steiling, Head of Nestlé’s Development Center for dairy products, said: “As the world’s largest food and beverage company, delivering foods and beverages that are good for people and the planet is a priority. We are exploring emerging technologies that can lead to animal-friendly alternatives that are nutritious and sustainable, without compromising on taste, flavour and texture.”

Using its R&D expertise and scale, Nestlé is working to develop and test novel animal-free dairy protein-based products to complement its plant-based alternatives range.

The U.S. R+D Accelerator is focused on identifying opportunities and aims to bring product concepts to the market in only six months — this latest product will be brought to the US market later this year as a test-and-learn.

“We are excited to pilot Nestlé’s first animal-free, dairy protein-based products through our U.S. R+D Accelerator,” said Joanna Yarbrough, head of the R+D Accelerator. “While this category is still very young, we know consumers are looking for products that have a reduced environmental footprint, and we are evaluating this avenue as a future growth opportunity for our business.”

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