Valio showcases lactose free recovery drink

During the Food Ingredients Europe event, Valio plans to demonstrate strategies for converting current market trends into commercially viable products. The focus will be on enhancing nutritional profiles while ensuring flavor and satisfaction remain intact through advanced dairy science and formulation techniques.

Valio’s B2B marketing manager, Tuula Hietanen, says that visitors can see and taste the concepts to understand how Valio can help combine meaningful nutritional benefits with consumer appeal. This approach will be demonstrated through various product formulations, including dairy science and innovative ingredients, which will be showcased at the event in Frankfurt, Germany, from November 17 to 19.

One of Valio’s highlights is an innovative lactose-free recovery drink that combines high-quality milk protein with carbohydrates derived from milk sugar to support muscle recovery and energy replenishment. Hietanen also mentions no-added-sugar and reduced-sugar milk chocolate concepts, as well as a high-protein instant coffee mix application, designed to bring the benefits of high-quality milk protein into consumers’ everyday coffee routines without affecting taste or convenience.

Future of Nutrition and Well-being

Valio expects three trends shaping the future of nutrition and well-being to be major talking points: weight management, holistic health, and personalized nutrition. Hietanen says weight management is becoming a major driver of food innovation. The growing adoption of GLP-1 medications is rapidly reshaping eating habits and accelerating demand for nutrient-dense foods that deliver more nutritional value in smaller portions.

She also notes that consumers are taking an increasingly holistic approach to well-being, seeking foods that offer multiple benefits, from digestive wellness to healthy aging. Moreover, nutrition is becoming personalized, with consumers looking for products tailored to their individual health goals and lifestyles.

Lactose-free Recovery Drink

At Fi Europe 2026, Valio will present a session on how evolving consumer expectations are shaping the future of nutrition. This presentation will explore research on protein, gut health, and functional nutrition, as well as emerging areas like recovery and hydration.

The lactose-free recovery drink has “reinvented recovery” with hydrolyzed milk sugar and high-quality milk protein, according to Hietanen. Its balanced 1:1 protein-to-carbohydrate ratio supports digestive comfort without compromising taste or functionality.

Recovery tests assessing endurance and strength showed that Valio’s recovery drink application, made with Eila Pro specialty powders, performed comparably to a conventional recovery beverage, while offering digestive comfort, high-quality protein, and reduced ingredient complexity.

Meeting Consumer Expectations

Hietanen observes that consumers are making increasingly informed food choices, seeking products that meet multiple needs at once. However, she cautions that nutritional value alone isn’t enough, emphasizing the importance of great taste and texture. Valio’s innovation strategy focuses on developing targeted solutions that deliver specific health benefits, rethinking the role of dairy ingredients in meeting these demands.