The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

Barcelona, La Ciutat Comtal – an architectural gem, cultural hub and football powerhouse – welcomed global industry leaders for the 19th Global Dairy Congress from 17-18 June 2026. Organised by FoodBev Events, the congress brought together dairy professionals from more than 25 countries to explore innovation, market trends and future opportunities under the theme ‘Fit for Purpose.’

During the event, Vibhah and Vineet Shrivastava, husband-and-wife founders of New Zealand-based Four Leaves Co, posed the question: if milk is already one of the world's most trusted foods, why has modern wellness become so complicated?

With protein intake and GLP-1 use continuing to dominate, global delegates from the dairy industry set out to find an answer and examine the forces shaping the dairy industry today.

Market trends and outlook

Richard Hall, chair of FoodBev Media, opened the two-day event, which began with a series of insightful keynote sessions discussing the latest market trends and insights.

Kicking things off was Ananda Roy, senior vice president at Circana, who highlighted key findings on consumer responsiveness to dairy products. His presentation identified fermented products, cheese and protein-enriched functional yogurts as the fastest-growing categories, while traditional chilled milk continues to lose momentum.

Roy emphasised that consumers increasingly seek added value from dairy products, particularly those that support healthy nutrition, convenient meal replacement, sports nutrition and healthy ageing. He noted that sports nutrition, particularly protein products, has expanded well beyond gym-goers, becoming a mainstream consumer category.

José Sainz, European dairy lead at Expana, also spoke about this. Exploring the broader consumer trends influencing the industry, including declining alcohol consumption and increased interest in healthier lifestyles, he highlighted how recent acquisitions of protein manufacturers have helped companies maintain growth and value.

According to Sainz, the greatest value generator in dairy is no longer cheese itself, but the proteins derived through the cheesemaking process.

Elsewhere, Tom Booijink, senior dairy specialist at Rabobank, discussed shifting global trade dynamics. He noted that, for the first time in history, the United States is experiencing a surplus of dairy fat – a situation likely to persist and continue putting downward pressure on prices. As trade patterns evolve, Booijink highlighted South Africa as a potential emerging export partner.

Sandrine Bouvier, marketing leader at Roquette, and Jiae Kim, global marketing manager, enthralled the audience with a discussion around how yogurt innovation is increasingly focused on both enjoyment and lifestyle benefits. As part of this, they noted that 20% of products launched in the past year included protein as a key ingredient, adding that maintaining excellent taste and texture remains essential – particularly when developing plant-based alternatives.

Meanwhile, Yili Group’s vice president, Ignatius Man-Yau Szeto, presented insights into high-value functional nutrition opportunities. During a roundtable discussion, he outlined products designed for infants, children and adults, covering benefits such as gut health and support for lactose-intolerant consumers. Yili's approach combines globally sourced ingredients with locally relevant components to align with regional preferences and consumer perceptions.

Nutrition within dairy was also a hot topic. Peggy Diby, global head of corporate affairs for nutrition at Nestlé, highlighted the demographic shifts shaping future nutrition needs. Citing United Nations projections, she noted that by 2042, approximately 40% of the world's population will be over 40 years old. As the gap between lifespan and ‘health span’ widens, she argued that nutrition must play a larger role in supporting healthy ageing.

This provides ample opportunities for producers looking to create higher-protein dairy products delivering 20-30 grams of protein per serving, fortified functional blends and convenient formats.

One important discussion revolved around the challenge of making nutrition both accessible and enjoyable. Carole Nicaud, strategic innovation director at Bel Group, highlighted that obesity now exceeds malnutrition rates in some regions and argued that quality nutrition should be available to everyone.

Product opportunities include low-sugar beverages, cereal-based snacks, functional dairy products and offerings containing fruits, vegetables and nuts, all delivered in appropriate portion sizes.

Focus on functionality

A panel discussion featuring Jeremy Hill, chief science and technology officer at Fonterra, alongside representatives from Roquette and Yili Group, examined how innovation can deliver high-value health solutions without compromising taste and texture.

Functionality to support active lifestyles was a major theme. Eugene Ho, director of intellectual property and research at Mengniu Dairy, outlined the company's ‘seed-to-sip’ strategy, rooted in natural milk production. He also shared consumer research involving marathon runners, demonstrating performance improvements associated with dairy consumption.

Floor van der Horst, global marketing director at FrieslandCampina, discussed the continuing growth of protein-based products. While protein remains a global trend, she noted that consumer demand varies by market, extending beyond muscle development into areas such as wellness, hydration and longevity. She also highlighted growing demand from consumers using GLP-1 medications and increasing interest in premium protein applications.

Richard Walton, senior adviser for global business and industry affairs at Meiji, explored dairy products developed for blood sugar management. He introduced the company’s new functional yogurt range, including Meiji Haemoglobin A1c Countermeasure Yogurt and its drinkable variant.

These products contain MI-2 lactic acid bacteria, which have been linked to reductions in elevated haemoglobin A1c levels among healthy individuals.

Marketing and branding

Afternoon sessions focused on international market developments, brand transformation strategies and regional growth opportunities.

Nguyen Quang Tri, marketing director at Vinamilk, detailed the company's 50-year journey of continuous transformation. Guided by a mission to provide highly nutritious products, particularly for children, Vinamilk has grown from modest beginnings into one of Vietnam's most successful food companies.

Marcelo Pereira, founder and chief executive officer of MilkPoint Ventures, discussed success factors within Brazil's dairy market. Operating in an environment characterised by government intervention, price volatility and producer turnover, he stressed the importance of deep market knowledge, strong industry networks and a commitment to innovation and collaboration across the value chain.

Elsewhere, Rajiv Mitra, senior adviser for growth and transformation at Indapur Dairy & Milk Products, outlined opportunities to improve farm productivity through genetics, breeding, feed optimisation and precision farming technologies. He also described India's integrated milk-flow model, which connects the entire supply chain while delivering value to both farmers and consumers.

The congress also featured insights into packaging technologies from Hervé Hérambert, technical sales manager for the sensitive portfolio at Sidel France, who discussed developments supporting dairy product quality and safety.

Celebrating dairy innovation

The event concluded with the announcement of the World Dairy Innovation Awards finalists and winners.

Francesca Hall, events director at FoodBev Media, reflected on the quality of this year's entries, saying: "The level of innovation on display this year is remarkable. These winners are reimagining dairy's role, engineering function and purpose into every drop while keeping consumers' evolving needs at the heart of that change."

You can see the full list of the winners here.

Emerging innovations

This year’s event showed that the dairy industry never stops innovating. Many presentations covered developments in cell-based dairy, the increasing use of GLP-1 medications and the growing consumer interest in protein and fibre.

On the second day, an innovations panel explored some of the opportunities open to dairy companies and how they are looking to create products that are both comfortingly familiar but also new and exciting for consumers.

Laurent Coutant, head of nutrition marketing at Lactalis, spoke about the importance of these trends and how companies can jump on these opportunities to create meaningful innovations.

Saki Yamashita, global marketing manager for functional food ingredients at Morinaga Milk, presented research on LAC-Shield Living+ (Lactobacillus helveticus MCC1848), a heat-killed postbiotic ingredient shown to help maintain positive mood and emotional wellbeing. She also showcased products incorporating the ingredient to highlight its use across applications.

In their presentation, Four Leaves Co’s Vibhah and Vineet Shrivastava discussed reimagining milk using natural, functional ingredients. Their award-winning functional beverage, Lullaa, combines ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, prebiotic fibre, collagen peptides and MGO mānuka honey to create a daily wellness drink.

Speaking about the beverage, they said what many have been aiming for: “We wanted functionality to work with milk, not against it. For us, it was never about actually adding more ingredients. It was about protecting the integrity of milk. Because consumers still want to feel that their drink is natural, familiar, comforting, simple and most importantly, trusted. We never wanted to replace milk.”

Moving away from traditional cow’s milk to broaden innovation and accessibility for those with allergies and different nutritional needs, as well as long-term environmental goals, was also on the agenda.

Among the diverse number of innovations showcased at the Congress, Yili Group presented its goat milk range, comprising a variety of powder and liquid formats that have been developed for easy digestion and for the whole family.

The group’s vice president Szeto detailed how the company has been specifically working within this segment, saying: “Yili’s proprietary patented deodorisation technology effectively addresses the industry’s long-standing 'goaty' odour challenge. Through a multi-step physical process, we effectively reduce the 'goaty' odour while preserving native nutrients, restoring a clean, naturally sweet milk aroma and delivering a richer goat milk experience”.

Some companies presented opportunities outside of traditional dairy altogether. Jakob Skovgaard, co-founder and CEO of PlanetDairy, for instance, spoke about opportunities for hybrid dairy products that combine dairy ingredients with plant proteins. He highlighted PlanetDairy’s own hybrid option, which blends dairy with fava bean protein. The product is promoted as being comparable in taste and nutrition to traditional dairy while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 30%.

Dairy is here to stay

The congress reinforced dairy's position as one of the world's most nutritious and innovative food sectors. With growing emphasis on functionality, protein enrichment, healthy ageing and sustainability, the industry continues to evolve in response to changing consumer needs.

As innovation accelerates across ingredients, products and production systems, the Global Dairy Congress remains an important platform for sharing knowledge, fostering collaboration and shaping the future of dairy.

FoodBev Media looks forward to the next edition in 2027 and is eager to see how the dairy market continues to progress.

For updates regarding the Global Dairy Congress and the World Dairy Innovation Awards 2027, contact events@foodbev.com or visit www.foodbevevents.com.