Milky Revolution in 2026: Cow’s Milk Minus the Cow

The dairy industry is facing one of its biggest changes yet with new technologies being developed for cow’s milk. Research is being done by start-ups and research institutes to remove cows from the equation to produce cow’s milk. The objective is to create milk that is equivalent to actual cow’s milk in properties and taste, but keep it under one category: Animal-free dairy. 

How is animal-free cow’s milk made

Producing animal-free dairy is done primarily via a method called precision fermentation. Scientists who work on the production take milk protein DNA (casein and whey proteins) and ferment it through yeast or fungi. Once large amounts of proteins are yielded, it gets combined with plant-based fats, sugars, and minerals to complete the cow-free cow’s milk picture. 

The taste and the function of animal-free dairy is meant to be the same as the classic cow’s milk, without involving the actual animals. Regions and farms who rely on dairy farming, might have to jump on the innovation before it becomes stressful to keep up with the industry. Cow-free cow’s milk is not only a strong innovation to the dairy industry, but also a step towards a greener future as it would assist in reducing gas emissions and water consumption. Brands like Remilk and Perfect Day are already on the market with their products, and start-ups in the EU zone are catching up quickly as well.