FrieslandCampina Ingredients will increase its capacity in Bedum, Veghel and Workum, in the Netherlands, to turn the cheese by-product into premium protein for use in sports, lifestyle, early life and medical nutrition.
Guus Aerts, global director of marketing and product strategy, told NutraIngredients the company is responding to strong global demand, with full operational capacity expected by 2028.
Prioritizing sports nutrition
The move builds on recent investments in its Borculo site in the Netherlands and its acquisition of Wisconsin Whey Protein in the US.
“We are making major investments almost every year,” Aerts said.
The company sees strong long-term growth potential in specialized nutrition categories and wants to strengthen its position in other areas to match its presence in the early life and medical nutrition markets, he said.
“If you look at our portfolio, we are number one in early life nutrition and a leading supplier in medical nutrition,” Aerts said. “In sports and active nutrition, we were probably somewhere in the top ten.”
He added: “In order to bring the same level of value and partnership we have in early life and medical nutrition, we needed to step up.”
Whey demand outpacing supply
Aerts explained the move is a result of forecasting whey shortages as well as already visible trends in the market
“We saw market development, but also the need for significant investment and reallocation of streams,” he said.
Global whey protein demand has surged due to functional food trends, with the whey market projected to grow at 7.7 % CAGR through 2033, according to market research platform Grand View Research. And with demand rising, supply security has become a key concern across the industry, Aerts noted.
“The whey market is very tight. Three years ago, we already saw structural changes—more consumers incorporating high-end protein into daily diets. That trend has continued.
“We also see demand outpacing supply, and many brand owners don’t even have secure raw materials. That situation is likely to continue.”
Aerts added that the investment isn’t just about increasing capacity but also about working closely with its customers for better solutions.
“I don’t see the market easing in the next few years,” Aerts said. “Consumer awareness is increasing, and brand owners are still struggling with raw material availability.”
Promoting protein blends for better nutrition
Despite whey protein’s popularity and the company’s continued investment, Aerts said whey is not always the best fit for every application but it continues to dominate largely because consumers are familiar with it.
As a result, the company is working closely with customers to develop formulations that better meet evolving consumer demands, including the use of protein blends, where appropriate.
“We believe blends of proteins can improve nutrition, performance, and supply security,” Aerts said.
While customers are becoming more open to alternative protein sources, adoption still takes time, particularly when brands need to educate consumers about new formulations.
“If brands don’t need to educate consumers, it’s easier for them to adopt new formulations,” Aerts said.
The shift also reflects broader changes in nutrition trends, with consumers increasingly looking beyond protein alone.
What’s more, consumers are more informed and willing to pay for higher-quality products, and the rise of GLP-1 drugs is also driving lasting changes in dietary behaviour.
“Protein is not the only trend anymore,” he said. “Fiber is also becoming important, and we see a shift toward combined nutrition—protein plus fibre and overall balance.”
