Israeli bio-foodtech company Wilk has developed what it claims is the first ever hybrid yogurt containing cultivated milk fats.
The yogurt is said to have the same taste, texture, and nutritional profile as dairy yogurt. According to Wilk, milk fats significantly impact the properties of dairy products, meaning that cultivated fat could revolutionise the development of animal-free alternatives.
“[This] signifies a major breakthrough in demonstrating our ability to produce functional cell-cultured milk components”
Wilk says the new yogurt will serve as a concept product, helping to validate the company’s technology and future capabilities. It will also support Wilk’s efforts to develop cultivated human breast milk fat for use in infant formula, potentially replacing the vegetable fats currently used.
Coco-Cola funding
Last year, Wilk secured $2 million in funding from Coca-Cola Israel to accelerate the development of its cultivated milk components. Then, at the beginning of 2022, the company received US patent approval for its research methods and technologies in the field of cultivated milk and breast milk production.
In July, Wilk announced the launch of its recent project to develop yogurt made with cultivated milk fat, which has been successfully completed in under six months.
“This is a significant milestone, not just for Wilk, but for the Israeli foodtech space and wider global industry,” said Tomer Aizen, CEO of Wilk. “It signifies a major breakthrough in demonstrating our ability to produce functional cell-cultured milk components that can be integrated into a wide array of dairy products and brings us closer to realizing our goal – to produce authentic dairy products in a sustainable and environmentally conscientious manner that will drive the industry forward.”
Israel Trade and Economic Commission in Sydney, Australia 