29 Jun 2020 SA milk alternative shines at International Dairy Awards

South African innovation, Lifematrix Desert Milk, has won the 2020 World Dairy Innovation Award for Best Functional Dairy product.

The awards are organised each year by UK-based FoodBev Media and Zenith Global, the international food industry publishing and consulting group.

Lifematrix Desert Milk is a 50/50 blend of powdered milk from camels and goats, offering a nutrient-rich and more easily digestible alternative to cow’s milk.

The milk powders are made from pasteurised milk that has been spray-dried, with no additives.

Judges’ comments on the product (a blend of camel milk from the Kalahari and goat milk from the Cedarberg): “Strong technical platform, strong consumer proposition, terrific packaging and design.”

The Desert Milk forms part of Lifematrix’s specialist milk powder range, launched recently. Lifematrix is a division of Absolute Organix, one of SA’s leading manufacturers and distributors of natural and organic products.

Comments Absolute Organix’s MD, Bruce Cohen: “Dairy has taken somewhat of a beating in recent times as plant ‘milk’ alternatives have crested a wave of popularity on the back of the vegan movement’s sharp rise.

“But now dairy is fighting back, armed with nutritional weapons like potent immune-boosting proteins that put real dairy into a superfood category.

“We’re proud of these specialist dairy powders that showcase the nutritional muscle of milk from camels, goats and cows.”

The case for camel milk

Camel milk is closer to human milk than any other ruminant milk (cow, sheep, goat etc), but differs from other ruminant milks because it contains low cholesterol and low sugar, but is higher in minerals (sodium, potassium, iron, copper, zinc and magnesium) as well as Vitamin C. It does not contain Beta-lactoglobulin, the main allergen in cow’s milk.

Read more about this product range here….

This year’s IDM award ceremony was an online-only affair. All the award finalists and winners feature in this YouTube video:

Source: Absolute Organix, FoodBev Media