Asla Lactose Free Milk Commended

Well, I hope you're all rested up from the excitement of the 2007 Global Dairy Innovation Awards. Didn't those stars look great on the white carpet?

The judging of the 2007 dairy innovation awards was held on 26 February at the Sheraton Hotel, close to London Heathrow Airport. The awards ceremony itself took place in Amsterdam, as part of this week's First Global Dairy Congress organized by Zenith International. You can read all about them at their website.

The award that means most to us is a highly commended prize to:

Arla Foods UK created Lactofree for the 15% of Britons that are estimated to be affected by lactose intolerance. Lactofree was also entered in the best new dairy drink category, as was Optimel Control from Campina and targeted at everyone aiming for a healthy weight.

They weren't the winners, though. The Health Initiative category was competitive:

In the best new health initiative category, the judges were looking for new probiotic or other functional dairy products that have a distinct health message and have created an impact on the market. Several products in this category were also entered in other categories.

▪ Tutgut Lecithin is the first dairy product, specially developed for the grey market (over 50 year olds). Entered by Alpenmilch of Austria, it is a creamy drink with a yogurt and buttermilk base containing lecithin and therefore helps to improve memory and concentration. In order to develop this product for the target group, comprehensive market research was conducted. Concern about memory and brain activity was expressed and the target group asked for a product that helps to maintain brain activity on a high level.

▪ Amul has launched India’s first probiotic ice cream, positioning the product to stress its contribution to improving immunity, strengthening bones and improving brain activity. Coupled with rapidly growing health and wellness awareness in India and being first to market with a probiotic product, Amul anticipates Profile Probiotic Wellness Ice Cream will help to grow the market by around 10%, interesting new consumers in ice cream and achieving increased frequency in ice cream consumption.

▪ Campina’s Vifit Multivezel - aimed at the 9 out of 10 Dutch consumers that have a lack of fibre in their daily nutrition - was also entered in the new dairy dessert category. [It was the winner in this category.]

▪ Fayrefield Foods Heartfelt+ reduced fat cheese was also to be found in the best new cheese category.

Remember, not everybody with lactose intolerance has to avoid all dairy, even if it's not lactose free. Dairy with probiotics that help suppress symptoms will be the hot new products in the future.