All the whey with whey

FrieslandCampina Ingredients is investing more in its whey operations, citing the global demand for high-value whey proteins, which continues to grow across sports nutrition, lifestyle nutrition and specialised medical applications. The worldwide requirement for higher protein products continues apace, so the Netherlands-based dairy giant is putting €90 million into its Borculo plant, along with the company’s buy of the US company Wisconsin Whey Protein.

However, as a recent salmonella recall in the US of finished products containing whey powder, not to mention the ongoing cereulide-containing infant formula recalls globally, reminds everyone that having safe food ingredients is key to the safe food chain. Without the safeguards in place, up and down the line, it becomes a matter of endangering public health. Once this occurs, getting one’s ingredients from a supplier on the other side of the world suddenly seems less like a good idea. A company’s reputation can be damaged by a failure by an ingredient that gets into the finished product, but is not reliable.

That being said, the demand for whey continues. The global market was estimated to be US$9.35 billion in 2025, according to industry analysts Market Data Forecast, and is expected to see a compound annual growth rate of 8.1% through 2032. Rather interestingly, it is the older segments of the population who are demanding it to preserve muscle tissue, according to the report. The US based Council for Responsible Nutrition says that 43% of US adults regularly consume protein supplements, which are usually whey based. (www.marketdataforecast.com/market-reports/whey-protein-market)

So, this shall be interesting for the international whey market. As we all get older, we’re not just looking for longevity, but healthy lives for longer. Whey containing products, which are used for infants and athletes, are being added to the older generations’ diets, in many formats.

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