Developing the future of dairy: Functional, sustainable, delicious

11:00 - 11:10 CEST

Welcome address:
Tessa Wiles, Content Editor, Fi Global Insights
Niamh Michail, Head of Publishing, Fi Global Insights

11:10 – 11:25 CEST

Reinventing dairy: Innovation pathways in alternative dairy and functional ingredients

Speaker:
Dr Harini Venkataraman, Associate Research Director, Lux Research

Synopsis: As consumer demand for sustainable, functional, and nutritionally enhanced dairy products continues to grow, a new generation of technologies is reshaping the future of the sector. This webinar will explore the innovation landscape across alternative dairy, including plant-based formulations and emerging synthetic biology platforms such as precision fermentation, biomass fermentation, and molecular farming. Attendees will gain insights into how these technologies are enabling novel dairy proteins and ingredients, as well as the opportunities and challenges associated with commercialization. The session will also examine high-value bioactive dairy ingredients such as lactoferrin, highlighting their market potential and role in the next wave of dairy innovation.

11:25 – 11:40 CEST

How to balance dairy and non-dairy while maintaining taste and consumer demand

Speaker:
Dr Els de Hoog, Principal Scientist, NIZO food research

Synopsis: There is a growing move towards increased use of plant proteins to meet sustainability requirements. This shift presents several technological challenges, as current food production processes are largely optimised for animal proteins. In addition, the development of fully vegan dairy-mimic products can present issues related to off-flavours, antinutritional factors, and insufficient nutritional quality. Combining plant-based ingredients with dairy in hybrid products can offer the best of both worlds, providing optimal taste and health benefits while increasing the intake of plant-based foods and limiting animal product consumption. In this presentation, we will explore how to achieve this balance in an evidence-backed way, without compromising nutritional value or consumer appeal.

11:40 – 12:30 CEST

Live Q&A with the audience
Got questions? We’ve got answers! After the presentations, join our interactive Live Q+A to gain deeper insights by connecting with our subject matter experts in real time. This is your opportunity to get answers to your most pressing questions on science, regulatory developments, consumer behaviour shifts, or innovations shaping the industry. Be part of the conversation with fellow industry peers to uncover strategies to stay ahead of the curve.

Speakers:
Dr Harini Venkataraman, Associate Research Director, Lux Research
Dr Els de Hoog, Principal Scientist, NIZO food research

Moderator:
Tessa Wiles, Content Editor, Fi Global Insights