Opportunity, Sustainability, and Innovation: The European Dairy Landscape

The European dairy industry is navigating a period of significant change driven by consumer demands for sustainable and healthier products. The recent Dairy Innovation Strategies conference in Copenhagen highlighted the industry's challenges and opportunities. Industry leaders emphasized the need for transparency and innovation to meet evolving consumer preferences, particularly around sustainability and health.

Sibéal Bird, European sustainability director at Kerry Group, noted, "We are in an era of heightened environmental awareness but also evolving consumer preferences and expectations." Consumers are driving demand for sustainable and nutritious products, putting pressure on the supply chain. The conference addressed opportunities for growth, particularly in creating convenient and nutritious snack options.

Jemma Luxford of The Collective highlighted the need for snacking solutions, stating, "As an industry, we’re not quite doing a good enough job to create the solutions that truly overcome the barriers that consumers have about how you bring that healthy, nutritious snack on the go."

Vicky Davies from FrieslandCampina discussed innovation opportunities, emphasizing the importance of credible product claims. The conference also explored hybrid products combining dairy and plant-based ingredients, a solution for reducing agricultural emissions. Paul Cornillon from PlanetDairy discussed the challenges in creating plant-based products that match the taste and functionality of real dairy.

Ultimately, the conference underscored the need for the dairy industry to innovate and adapt to remain competitive and relevant in a changing market environment.