The International Dairy Federation (IDF) is delighted to announce the finalists for the 2024 edition of the IDF Dairy Innovation Awards that have been published today after a careful assessment by a prestigious jury of global dairy experts. The winners will be announced on October 18 during a Special Plenary Session on innovation at the IDF World Dairy Summit 2024 in Paris, France.

The IDF Dairy Innovation Awards are designed to showcase the dairy sector’s engagement and dynamism on a global scale, providing a unique platform to highlight innovative processes, practices, and products that improve efficiency and contribute to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In its third annual edition, the IDF Dairy Innovation Awards 2024 received a remarkable 153 entries from 25 countries, demonstrating the growing enthusiasm and commitment to showcasing innovation across the global dairy sector. The diverse and extensive pool of entries has significantly heightened anticipation for the winner’s announcement at the IDF World Dairy Summit 2024.

Entries per categories

“Innovation is not just beneficial but essential for sustainable growth and development. The IDF Dairy Innovation Awards aims at fostering innovation within the global dairy sector. Innovation is happening everywhere and across the dairy value chain to harness the role of the dairy sector to nourish all with safe and sustainably produced milk and milk products”, said IDF Director General, Ms Laurence Rycken.

“We are thrilled to see how the finalists of the 2024 edition of the IDF Dairy Innovation Awards outstand on key initiatives, including ongoing projects on sustainable farming, processing, marketing and packaging, as well as climate action socioeconomics and women empowerment “, she concluded.

FINALISTS

Innovation in Sustainable Farming Practices – Environment

• Danone – Les 2 Pieds sur Terre – France. Helping French Dairy Farmers Reduce their Greenhouse Gas Emissions and regenerate their soil. The program is accessible to all French dairy farmers partnering with Danone by providing them with technical and financial support to adopt regenerative agriculture helping to reduce their carbon footprint and regenerate their soil.

• Société des Produits, Nestlé S.A. – NINHO celebration packaging – Switzerland. Nature por Ninho, led by Nestlé in partnership with Embrapa, incentivizes and supports dairy farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices and are rewarded based on the number of practices they adopt. The focus is on improving milk quality, animal welfare and water management, along with greenhouse gas emissions reduction in farms.

• Teagasc – AgNav – Ireland. AgNav is the new innovative sustainability platform providing Irish dairy farmers with accurate and verifiable data and supporting decision making on farms to help reduce emissions and enhance water quality. Its overarching objective is to help farmers improve productivity and ensure economic viability, while setting new environmental sustainability standards.

Innovation in Sustainable Farming Practices – Animal Care

• Amul Dairy – Amul Dairy – India. Amul Dairy has pioneered the use of homeopathic medicine for dairy animals, aiming to combat antimicrobial resistance. Through innovative treatments for 26 common ailments, over 68,000 animals were successfully treated, reducing antibiotic usage and promoting sustainable dairy farming. Till May 2024 Amul has manufactured 3.30 lac homeopathic medicine bottles of 30 ml and distributed 1.80 Lac till May 2024.This holistic approach enhances animal and public health.

• DeLaval – Disease Risk – Sweden. Disease Risk is a digital application that helps farmers to quickly identify sick cows. DeLaval artificial intelligence model DeepBlue combines all data from all DeLaval sensors into one prediction, giving valuable insights into the health condition of the cows such as mastitis or ketosis.

• Yili Group – Yiniu Youzhi APP – China. “Yiniu Youzhi APP” is an APP for dairy farmers in China to help them improving cow welfare and managing their farm in a digital way. By integrating the different intelligent device and data onto this platform, a harmonious way to governance data and manage farm is created. The data insight function will turn data into insights and tasks for farmers, we deem that as our core competitiveness in the future.

Innovation in Sustainable Farming Practices – Socio Economic

• Danone – H’Lib Bladi – Morocco. In 2023, Danone Ecosytem, Danone, and GIZ launched Phase 2 of the H’Lib Bladi project (started 2016) in Morocco. H’Lib Bladi promotes sustainable milk production models amongst smallholder dairy farmers, to improve their livelihoods, increase their resilience to climate change, reduce their GHG footprint and overall, strengthen the value chain.

• Meiji – Meiji Dairy Advisory (MDA) – Japan. MDA is an activity that supports “sustainable dairy farm management” by focusing on human resource management on dairy farms. In order to realize sustainable dairy management, this program aims to establish a “KAIZEN culture” in which farmers habitually review their current situation and make improvements, and to enable dairy farmers to be more efficient.
• National Dairy Development Board – Sundarban Cooperative Milk & Livestock Producers’ Union Limited – India. Sundarban Cooperative Milk & Livestock Producers’ Union Limited, the first all-women organic dairy cooperative in the Sundarbans, empowers over 4,500 marginalized women farmers. By integrating organic dairy production with multi-commodity agriculture, it provides sustainable livelihoods, elevates women’s social status, and fosters socio-economic transformation, ensuring prosperity and sustainable development in the region.

Innovation in Sustainable Processing

• Asha Mahila Milk Producer Company Limited – Asha Mahila Milk Producer Company Limited – India. Solar based Instant Milk Chillers – A pathbreaking off grid sustainable initiative for geographies characterised by small holder dairy farmers in the countryside.

• Idaho Milk Products Inc – Idaho Milk Products Inc. – USA. Idaho Milk Products, a global leader in milk proteins, is renowned for its fresh, local, high-quality dairy ingredients. Committed to sustainability, their visionary, vertical integration spans from farm to facility, sourcing milk within an 80km radius of its processing facility. They efficiently create innovative products while minimizing emissions and waste.

• Mengniu x Tetra Pak – Mengniu Ningxia Factory – China. As world’s first fully integrated dairy factory, Mengniu Ningxia Digital Factory breaks the information silos between systems by extensively utilizing digital technologies, big data analysis, and AI scenarios in physical operations. The project provides a vision on leveraging digital transformation to achieve optimized operations, enhanced efficiency and reduce environment impact.

Innovation in Sustainable Packaging

• CowPots – CowPots – USA. CowPots Packaging, made from 100% renewable and recycled, composted cow manure, offers 100% bio-degradable packaging as an alternative to fiberboard. This packaging is designed to be composted and/or planted directly into the end user’s garden where it adds valuable nutrients and organic matter, breaking down in a single growing season.

• Danone – Actimel removes the plastic sleeve – France. Danone has taken strong commitments towards circular and low-carbon packaging. The Actimel brand embodies this packaging transformation and in 2023, removed the plastic sleeve on its iconic bottle, allowing it to reach 99% recyclability and reduce plastic consumption across EU!

• Nestle China – Plastic-free tin packaging – China. Our sustainable packaging aligns with industry practices, giving us a competitive edge. It meets consumer expectations, attracts new customers, and drives growth. By leading in sustainability, we contribute to a healthier planet and ensure long-term success.

The jury is granting a special mention to Yili Group for three impactful innovative packaging entries. 1- Phase Separation Technology High Barrier PET Dairy Packaging, 2- Satine Organic Pure Milk- sustainable packaging – plant-based integrated box, 3- Yili Eco-Friendly Asian Games Pure Milk.

Innovation in New Product Development – Human Nutrition

• Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. – Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. – India. Amul, has launched world’s highest protein milk having 35g protein in a 250ml pack and a wide range of high protein products to meet the protein needs of Indians. Over 73% urban rich Indians are protein deficient, and 90% Indians are unaware of their protein requirements so Amul’s affordable high protein products will help Indians to meet their protein requirements.

• GoodSport® – GoodSport® – USA. GoodSport® is a natural sports drink that’s been scientifically shown to provide rapid and long-lasting hydration by harnessing the electrolytes and carbohydrates found in milk. With 3x the electrolytes and 33% less sugar than traditional sports drinks, GoodSport® delivers milk’s superior hydration benefits in a clear, refreshing beverage.

• Inner Mongolia Dairy Technology Research Institute Co., Ltd – Satine Active Lactoferrin Organic Pure Milk – China. Satine Active Lactoferrin Organic Pure Milk, through technology innovation, has achieved a high retention rate of 90% active lactoferrin in ambient temperature milk, with 8 times the active lactoferrin nutrition, safeguard consumers’ immunity.

• mandu-care GmbH – Moltea – Germany. Moltea is a fermented and prebiotic whey drink, especially designed to prevent constipation and support gut-health in general. Based on a patented production process, moltea offers a convenient, sustainable and tasty solution. The science backed efficiency of moltea supports affected people and leads the dairy industry towards a more circular approach.

Innovation in New Product Development – Equipment

• Everest Instruments Ltd. – FatScan – India. The FatScan milk analyser is a powerful tool that can be used to accurately measure the key parameters of milk samples, including fat, non-fat, and added water. The FatScan milk analyser is also a powerful tool that can be used to improve the quality, safety, and affordability of milk.

• THRASOS – THRASOS – France. Thrasos is a SaaSlike platform that optimize food safety and cleaning operations within food industries thanks to 2 major innovations: 1/unique algorithm that generate automatic optimized cleaning program for each process line 2/fouling-cleaning modelization module that enables to define the optimal cleaning time based on scientific approach.

• Unisensor – Aurox System – Belgium. Imagine the ease of a coffee maker, translated to milk antibiotic screening. The aurox combines robotics and lateral flow test tech in an unprecedented simplicity, aiding dairies and truck drivers’ workload every day. Its failproof design delivers industry-leading reliability, ready for seamless integration into milk transportation and storage systems.

Innovation in Climate Action

• dsm-firmenich – Bovaer® – Switzerland. Bovaer® is a revolutionary feed additive innovation that reduces methane emissions from dairy cattle by 30% lowering carbon footprint of dairy products by 10-15%. Available in 59 countries, it supports global climate targets, the Global Methane Pledge, SBTi FLAG commitments and the Sustainable Dairy’s path to net zero.

• STgenetics – Ecofeed® – USA. Ecofeed® – Genetics for permanent and cumulative reduction of methane emissions based on more than 25,000 progeny records for feed efficiency. By identifying animals with superior feed efficiency and reduced methane, producers can enhance profitability while promoting a sustainable dairy industry and world for the next generations of farmers and consumers.

• Yili Group – Green and low-carbon energy management – China. Throughout the project, we reviewed traditional energy supply processes and identified points where alternatives, iterations, upgrades, and innovations were possible. We then combined these with the latest green, low-carbon, and sustainable development technologies, processes, and methods to break through the barriers of traditional thinking and uncover new directions for green, low-carbon, and sustainable development.

Innovation in Women Empowerment

• International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) – Women in Dairy network – USA. IDFA’s Women in Dairy network works to improve recruiting, retention, and gender equality within the U.S. dairy sector through data-based reporting and tools, C-suite engagement, and by fostering networking and professional and leadership development. IDFA also published the 2024 State of Women in Dairy Report, which summarized survey findings and industry-wide recommendations regarding the treatment of women in dairy

• Mengniu Group – Empowering Women with Functional Nutrition Stimulating Dairy Products with ‘Her Power’ – China. Mengniu is committed to comprehensively upholding women’s rights and supporting the healthy development of the Chinese women’s football team, ensuring the well-being and career growth of 17,000 female employees, continuously inspiring more women to advance courageously, and paying tribute to their strength.

• Vansh Dairy Farm – Ajarpura Dairy Cooperative Society – India. At Ajarpura Dairy Cooperative Society the community connect and trust upon the Dairy Cooperative Society has been leveraged to empower women dairy farmers by providing diversified livelihood opportunities and skill enhancement. Through trainings in dairy practices, animal productivity, and value-added product creation incomes have been boosted. Additionally, beekeeping and retail outlets have been established, showcasing and selling handmade products.

Innovation in Marketing & Communication

• Dairy Farmers of Canada – Biodiversity Is In Our Nature – Canada. Dairy Farmers of Canada developed its “Biodiversity Is In Our Nature” marketing campaign to give consumers an inside look into actual sustainability practices dairy farmers are implementing as part of their environmental stewardship efforts towards the sector’s goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

• J-milk – J-milk – Japan. In order to combat calcium deficiency in approximately 10 million children, we have launched and implemented about 20 projects in cooperation with stakeholders from the dairy industry, schools and nutritionists. Parents of children who learn about the campaign are 45% more willing to give milk to their children on weekends. It was clear that the work on the project had a positive effect.

• Yili Group – Sports Marketing Initiated by Cute Star Formula – China. Cute Star children formula children formula is driven by ” exclusive accurate marketing strategy for channel segments”, leading the creation of binding sports marketing strategy with public welfare activities to help Chinese children’s overall healthy growth.