Nestlé has announced that it is exploring emerging technologies for the development of animal-free dairy protein-based products. Its novel product – developed by Nestlé R&D teams in Switzerland – will be piloted in the US market later this year as a test-and-learn.

Piloting a novel product

Nestlé announced yesterday that it is exploring emerging technologies for the development of animal-free dairy protein-based products. This move complements investments the company has made in plant-based meat and dairy alternative offerings over the years to meet the growing consumer demand for nutritious, more environmentally friendly diets.

Nestlé will pilot a novel product through the company’s newly established U.S. R+D Accelerator, bringing it to the U.S. market later this year as a test-and-learn. The product is made with animal-free protein from Perfect Day, a food technology startup company based in Berkeley, California. According to Perfect Day, the protein, made through precision fermentation, is identical to the whey protein found in cow’s milk but is lactose free and suitable for vegans.

A Swiss innovation

The product was developed by Nestlé R&D teams based in Switzerland. With expertise in both great-tasting nutritious dairy and plant-based dairy alternatives, Nestlé is well-equipped to deliver a relevant consumer solution in this emerging space, in collaboration with start-ups and other ecosystem actors.

Heike Steiling, Head of Nestlé’s Development Center for dairy products: “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, flavor, and texture. Bringing together our unmatched R&D expertise, innovation capabilities and scale, we are working to develop and test novel animal-free dairy protein-based products to complement our wide-ranging portfolio of plant-based alternatives.”

Rapid US market entry

The recently created U.S. R+D Accelerator is focused on identifying opportunities and aims to bring highly differentiated product concepts to the market in just six months.

“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.”

Through investing in initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of dairy, launching more plant-based dairy alternatives, while exploring emerging technologies for animal-free dairy proteins, Nestlé aims to to transform its dairy product portfolio as a part of its broader commitment to provide food that’s good for people and the planet.

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