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State of the Industry 2018: The dairy-free circuit

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From cheese to milk, to ice cream and butter, the dairy industry is exploring its new state of being. No, it didn’t get struck by lightning. It’s becoming more dairy-free.

For starters, global food production systems will come under increased pressure from population growth, urbanization and climate change, according to a new review published in the Journal of Dairy Science. The authors forecast that dairy farmers will adopt ways of managing the microbiomes of cows’ digestive systems and other body systems to improve health and well-being. They also believe that there will be more attention to managing a cow’s epigenome, which mediates longer-term responses to the environment. Furthermore, improvements in genetic selection will lead to dairy cattle lines that are healthier, produce milk more efficiently and are more disease- and heat-resistant. The authors also expect a shift from simply exporting surpluses to producing value-added products tailored to specific tastes and customs. And, dairy production will shift to areas with more sustainable water supplies and adequate growing seasons in response to changes in climate.

Likewise, cows fed a 100% organic grass and legume-based diet produce milk with elevated levels of omega-3 and CLA, according to a collaborative research project with the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.; Newcastle University, England; Southern Cross University, Australia; and the Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. Researchers found that the improved fatty acid profile in grass-fed organic milk and dairy products (also known as grassmilk) brings the omega-6/omega-3 ratio to a near 1:1, compared to 5.7:1 in conventional whole milk.

No malfunctions in organics

The global ice cream market is anticipated to reach $78.8 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR 4.1%, according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc., San Francisco.

But, the organic ice cream market in particular has gained a renewed traction. Valued at $850 million in 2016, the organic ice cream market is expected to reach $1.2 billion by 2024, according to a report published by Global Market Insights, Inc., Shelbyville, Del.

See the charts here!

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Marina Mayer was formerly Editor-in-Chief of Refrigerated & Frozen Foods. Previously, she spent four years as managing editor and executive editor of Snack Food & Wholesale Bakery and Dairy Foods, both sister publications. In this role, Mayer was responsible for reporting on market trends, ingredient R&D, production technology and new products within the dairy, snack food and wholesale bakery markets. Prior to joining BNP Media, she served a five-year tenure as editor of quality control for Manufacturers' News, Inc., where she was named “Manager of the Year” in 2006. Previously, she worked as an editorial assistant for Insider Magazine and worked as a contributing features writer for her college newspaper, the Indiana Daily Student. Mayer was a recipient of a Young Leader Scholar award, presented from American Society of Business Publication Editors (ASBPE), which is given annually to only five U.S. journalists, 30 years of age and under. She is a graduate of Indiana University with a bachelor’s in journalism.