Animal protein ‘biggest driver of opportunity in food industry’

Dairy is “aligned with consumer preferences” and there are “many opportunities for long-term growth”.

This is according to UK-based New Nutrition Business (NNB), a specialist provider of strategic and market insights into the business of food, nutrition and health.

Julian Mellentin, founder of NNB, said that globally, animal protein is the “single biggest driver of change and opportunity in the food industry right now”.

“Of all categories in the supermarket, dairy aligns best with what consumers are looking for,” Mellentin said.

Advantages

Dairy has many advantages, he explained.

These include good taste, texture and versatility.

“People can easily incorporate all manner of dairy foods into their recipes, into their life,” Mellentin continued.

Other benefits include nutrient density and protein quality.

The sector is “very good and getting better at talking about intrinsic health benefits of dairy”.

Following from “over 30 years of product development”, it has been “established in consumers’ minds that dairy is where you go to if you want to look for health benefits”.

“They accept dairy as a carrier of all kinds of benefits that perhaps wouldn’t historically have been associated with dairy,” Mellentin explained.

He added that over recent years, “people’s beliefs about food and health have become more diverse than ever before”.

One of the biggest influences over the past 15 years has been social media.

According to NNB, social media is now the “single most-important source of information for most consumers”, particularly for younger consumers.

“We have access to more information in our pockets about nutrition and health than ever before,” Mellentin said.

When did the interest in protein start?

Demand for protein is growing not only in fresh dairy, but as an ingredient in many categories, such as bakery and snacks, NNB said.

According to Mellentin, in the 1990s, dairy protein was found mainly in supplements for athletes and body-builders.

“In the 1990s, protein powders were marketed by the dairy industry which had done some excellent research on whey protein, which was largely used as animal feed in the 1970s and 1980s.

“It wasn’t fed to humans particularly.”

In 2010, science established protein’s role in effective weight management regimes.

In 2012, discussion about the science generated media attention, and from 2012 to 2020, there was a steady increase in successful brands normalising protein claims in the supermarket, moving protein from sports to indulgence.

‘Future is bright’

According to NNB, “dairy is aligned with consumer preferences and there are many opportunities for long-term growth”.

“It is time to boldly communicate dairy’s naturally functional benefits – a nutrient-dense whole food, a source of the highest-quality protein.

“Dairy is a credible source of many, many benefits.

“Consumer interest in protein shows no sign of slowing down. Animal protein is gaining in consumers’ preferences.”

Mellentin spoke at Bord Bia’s recent dairy markets seminar 2026.

The theme for the event was ‘navigating volatility in an uncertain world’.

The event brought together expert speakers to discuss topics such as: volatility in global dairy markets; Europe’s place in dairy, digitisation, trade and tariffs; and the key consumer and innovation trends shaping future opportunities for the Irish and global dairy sector.

.editor-styles-wrapper .wp-block-acf-related-stories-block {
max-width: 960px !important;
background-color: var(–color-gray-default);
padding-inline: 40px;
padding-top: 8px !important;
padding-bottom: 20px !important;
}