Half cow, half plant – is hybrid milk the next big thing?

Hybrid food products are quietly gaining traction across the foodtech sector. The trend began with meat, where producers started mixing animal protein with plant-based ingredients – not only to reduce carbon footprints but also to cater to a growing audience reluctant to go fully vegetarian.

Now, the concept has moved into the dairy aisle.

Launching a new category

Reporting from the World of Private Label expo in Amsterdam, the vego news site Green Queen reports about a new collaboration between Dutch company Farm Dairy and Danish PlanetDairy.

Together, they’ve unveiled a range of hybrid milk products that promise to lower emissions by 20–30 percent compared to conventional milk.

For context: producing one kilo of cow’s milk typically emits around 1–1.5 kilos of CO₂ equivalents (roughly the same as driving a petrol car 6–8 kilometres, Impact Loop's comment).

“We’re targeting milk lovers”

Jakob Skovgaard, co-founder and CEO of PlanetDairy, told Green Queen that consumers are increasingly prepared to prioritise sustainability – so long as the taste, nutrition and price remain competitive.

"We’re targeting milk lovers who are fully aware of the environmental impact of the traditional dairy industry," he told the magazine.

Still, pricing could prove a challenge. The ambition is to price hybrid milk close to standard cow’s milk in order to make it an appealing swap for the average shopper.