Nestlé has launched an instant milk powder in Central and West Africa made with a blend of dairy and plant-based ingredients, calling the Nido product both affordable and nutritious.

The milk powder contains essential nutrients such as protein and fibre thanks to the combination of dairy milk and locally sourced soy, says Nestlé. It is a source of calcium and is fortified with iron.

The product was developed locally by Nestlé experts at the regional R&D centre in Abidjan, Côte dIvoire and can be used in cereals, porridges, and drinks.

The product, called Nido Milk & Soya, is already available in Nigeria.

Tesfalidet Haile, head of Nestlés R&D centre in Abidjan, said: "We used our local expertise in cereals and dairy innovation to combine milk powder with a plant-based ingredient, while ensuring that the product had a good taste, texture, and solid nutritional credentials. This combined with the use of locally sourced soy enabled us to deliver a nutritious and affordable milk and plant-based beverage with sustainability benefits."

This is not the first time Nestlé has developed a dairy-plant-based hybrid milk. Last year, its R&D teams developed a nutritious powdered beverage made with a blend of milk and soy, and fruit that was first piloted in Asia. The beverage was tailored specifically to meet the nutritional and taste preferences of children in an affordable and sustainable way, according to the Swiss multinational.

Laurent Alsteens, global category head for early childhood nutrition at Nestlé, said that, by combining the goodness of dairy and plant ingredients, Nestlé could deliver a new flavour experience together with nutritional benefits.

Hybrid blends: Ticking both boxes?

Hybrid blends of both plant- and dairy-based ingredients may be the answer for brands looking to tick both nutritional and environmental boxes.

In 2022, Danone launched its Dairy & Plants Blend infant formula to meet parents’ desire for feeding options that are suitable for vegetarian, flexitarian, and plant-based diets, while still meeting their baby’s specific nutritional requirements.

The manufacturer said it drew on 50 years of scientific breastmilk research and its knowledge of plant-based nutrition – its portfolio includes the brands Alpro and Silk – to develop the formulation.

Launched first in the Netherlands under the Nutrilon brand before being expanded globally under the Aptamil brand, the products are made with 60% non-GM soy protein and other plant ingredients including vegetable oils, such as sunflower, coconut, and rapeseed oils; DHA from algae; and fibres from chicory roots. The 40% dairy component provides casein and whey protein from cow’s milk and other nutrients such as lactose.