Wednesday, 05 March 2025 11:25

Plant-based fad

Written by  Milking It

OPINION: The fact that plant-based dairy is struggling to gain a market foothold isn’t deterring new entrants.

A US company, Bostonbased start-up Brown Foods, is preparing to showcase UnReal Milk, the world’s first lab-grown whole cow’s milk – produced without a single cow.

According to its founders, UnReal Milk is produced using mammalian cell culture, replicating the nutrition, taste, and texture of traditional dairy. It can be processed into butter, cheese, and ice cream, claiming to be a lower-carbon alternative to conventional milk. Brown Foods claims its production method cuts carbon emissions by 82%, water use by 90%, and land use by 95%, without relying on livestock. While the figures sound great, whether consumers like the product remains to be seen.

More like this

It's all about economics

OPINION: According to media reports, the eye-watering price of butter has prompted Finance Minister Nicola Willis to ask for a 'please explain' from her former employer Fonterra.

Red line on dairy

OPINION: As India negotiates to open its borders to more global products, dairy is proving a sticky issue.

Farmland security

OPINION: Paranoia about foreigners is at an all-time high in the US and attention is now turning to foreign-owned farmland.

Cuddling cows

OPINION: Years of floods and low food prices have driven a dairy farm in England's northeast to stop milking its cows and instead charge visitors to cuddle them.

Featured

Rural leader grateful for latest honour

Waikato dairy farmer Neil Bateup, made a companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) in the New Year 2026 Honours list, says he’s grateful for the award.

Massey University Wiltshire trial draws growing farmer interest

Farmer interest continues to grow as a Massey University research project to determine the benefits or otherwise of the self-shedding Wiltshire sheep is underway. The project is five years in and has two more years to go. It was done mainly in the light of low wool prices and the cost of shearing. Peter Burke recently went along to the annual field day held Massey's Riverside farm in the Wairarapa.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

Trump's tariffs

President Donald Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on imports into the US is doing good things for global trade, according…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter