Grupo Lala launches Lala Kefir with 30 billion probiotics
Grupo Lala has entered Mexico’s functional-foods category with Lala Kefir, a drink made from a starter culture of traditional grains known locally as búlgaros. The company says each serving contains 19 live and active strains, combining lactic-acid bacteria with specific yeasts, and supplies 30 billion probiotics. The formulation is low in fat, free of added sugars and fortified with vitamins A and D.
The product was developed for large-scale production through a biotechnology research programme focused on keeping the microorganisms viable from inoculation through final packaging. Unlike fermented milks and yogurts that use lactic bacteria alone, kefir requires a mixed fermentation involving yeasts. According to the company’s technical information, this process produces peptides, volatile fatty acids and amino acids, while reducing residual lactose and improving the digestibility of milk proteins.
Manufacturing involves temperature controls and acidification curves intended to maintain the required microbial balance. Grupo Lala said the process follows international standards in the Codex Alimentarius for fermented dairy products. Its refrigerated distribution network keeps the product at about 4°C across its delivery routes, a measure the company links to limiting further fermentation in the bottle and preserving the concentration of beneficial colonies during retail storage.
Lala said the launch also addresses differences between traditional kefir and products sold under the same name. The technical management of the company’s nutrition institute said some supermarket products do not contain original fermentation grains or active yeasts, and instead function as acidified dairy drinks. The company identified three label checks for consumers: the product’s legal designation, the presence of búlgaros in the ingredients and the simultaneous use of bacteria and yeasts.
The new line expands Grupo Lala’s range of value-added fermented milks. The company’s portfolio strategy includes specialised dairy products alongside conventional fluid milk. Production requires automated fermenters and aseptic dosing lines, while the individual format is intended for sale through supermarket chains and other modern retail channels.
The formulation also sets requirements for the milk used in production. Lala’s plants need raw milk with suitable chemical and microbiological characteristics, no antibiotic residues and low somatic-cell counts to support the fermentation. The source report says these specifications can be associated with differentiated payments and quality bonuses for farms supplying plants in La Laguna and other parts of central and northern Mexico. It also describes the product as part of a wider push towards foods aimed at digestive health and the gut microbiome.
