Chair: Donna Eastlake, Deputy Editor, FoodNavigator Europe

Consumers are more food literate than ever, with their knowledge continuing to grow at a rapid pace. So, what does that mean for products made using high levels of processing that are often believed to be healthy or clean-label? In this fireside chat, FoodNavigator gets to grips with nutritional makeup of alternative dairy and the plethora of products that continue to emerge from the category. Not only do we find out how the alts stack up against the real deal, but also how the alt dairy market could become unstuck or even outed as a UPF.

Chair: Donna Eastlake, Deputy Editor, FoodNavigator Europe

Eating habits are shifting towards diets that include more alternative proteins, especially in high-income regions. Non-dairy food processors now require ingredients that meet the nutritional and taste profiles of their consumers’ needs, who demand delicious plant-based cheese and dairy products. But this can be a big challenge. However, ingredients based on yeast offer a solution, as Biospringer by Lesaffe food technologist Marion Alexandre outlines during this session. Marion will also detail how natural fermentation-based solutions can enrich the nutritional profile of non-dairy applications and elevate the taste experience of plant-based foods, including non-animal cheese; vegan protein shakes; oat-based ice-creams soy yogurt; and vegan cheese seasoning.

It is the holy grail of milk structure and the missing link between dairy and the alt-dairy category. We’re talking about casein and how it has the potential to make alt-cheese shift up the dial in a way it’s not been able to do before. Will it ever be possible to make any dairy product, starting with cheese, without the cow, goat or sheep involved?

Chair: Augustus Brambridge-Sutton, Senior Reporter, FoodNavigator Europe

In this presentation, Frederic shows the significant benefits that sustainable faba-based solutions bring to plant-based dairy alternatives and the reasons behind BENEO’s strategic decision to produce faba-based ingredients. Frederic explains how these innovative ingredients can deliver a range of desirable attributes, from enhanced texture and taste to improved nutritional value, empowering you to create standout, high-quality plant-based recipes that meet the consumer's demand for sustainable, health-conscious options.

Milk alternatives took off and have seemingly achieved what many other alt categories aspire to achieve – mass market success. But how is the category continuing to shape and reinvent itself in a market where consumers are more and more curious and knowledgeable about what they eat? Along with some of the biggest names in dairy and dairy-free, FoodNavigator looks at how the alt- milk, yogurt and cheese segments are performing and what’s coming next.

Chair: Donna Eastlake, Deputy Editor, FoodNavigator Europe

Chair: Donna Eastlake, Deputy Editor, FoodNavigator Europe