NZMP’s Non-GMO Project verified product offerings cover milkfat, milk powder, cheese and protein ingredients, meaning that the solutions can be used in most dairy ingredient applications.
“These ingredients are expected to be sought after via the ‘natural’ food and beverage channel, due to high demand for Non-GMO Project verified products from key retailers such as Whole Foods Market,” Joe Coote, NZMP regional president of ingredients Americas, told DairyReporter.
While nutritional applications are a key target for the company, the non-GMO ingredients can also be used in processed foods such as cheese, coffee creamers, and ice cream, Coote added.
According to the Non-GMO Project, the Non-GMO Project Verified seal is the fastest growing label in the natural products industry, representing $19.2bn in annual sales and appearing on 43,000 verified products.
“NZMP’s role in making dairy nutrition accessible to the world is by providing high-quality dairy protein ingredients to our customers through the delivery of affordable, every day and advanced nutrition solutions,” Coote said.
Future of dairy ingredients market
According to Coote, consumer interest in protein has shifted from appealing to just fitness enthusiasts to the broader market of health and wellness.
“Consumers desire and value the nutrition from milk products as awareness of health and wellness grows and incomes rise. The global protein ingredients market is growing strongly as protein evolves from being a purely ‘fitness’ trend to a more mainstream ‘health and wellness’ ingredient in food,” he said.
The global protein ingredients market is projected to grow by more than 7% to reach $43.3bn by 2024 due to demand for affordable nutrition, which dairy can offer, Coote added.
“At the other end of the spectrum, affordable nutrition is becoming an increasingly important segment as urbanization in emerging economies rises and the need for affordable nutrition solutions, particularly in South Asia, Middle East and West Africa, increases,” Coote said.