IN Brief:
- The Lactalis Ingredients concept is offered at two protein concentrations, 35% and 43%, for chocolate-hazelnut bars.
- The supplier identifies acid and rennet casein as formulation tools for maintaining softer texture during storage.
- Both concepts are scheduled for demonstration at Fi Europe in Frankfurt on 17–19 November 2026.
Lactalis Ingredients has developed chocolate-hazelnut protein bars containing 35% and 43% protein for demonstrations at Fi Europe in Frankfurt on 17–19 November. The dairy ingredients supplier says the two formulations address the difficulty of preserving a soft texture at high protein concentrations. They extend its existing casein application work rather than mark its first entry into protein-bar development; a 33% protein concept was shown at Fi Europe in 2025. The new versions remain demonstration formulations, with no announced retail launch or commercial production contract.
Both bars use a dark chocolate coating, while Lactalis reports reduced bitterness, consistent softness during storage and compatibility with established production processes. It also offers the possibility of replacing caseinate ingredients on a one-for-one basis in suitable recipes. The 35% and 43% figures represent the protein concentrations of the complete concepts, not grams of protein in an unspecified serving. Lactalis has supplied neither comparative shelf-life measurements nor a breakdown of the finished formulations, so the claimed sensory and processing advantages remain supplier-reported application results.
Protein enrichment changes the internal structure of a snack bar. The product typically contains a concentrated protein fraction alongside carbohydrate syrups, fats and other ingredients that bind the mass before it is formed, coated and packed. Differences in the ability of proteins to absorb and retain water influence how the matrix responds during mixing, forming and storage. This makes the choice of dairy protein important even where two recipes can be adjusted to meet the same declared protein content.
The company’s earlier technical work identifies changes in water distribution and interactions between proteins as important contributors to bar hardening during storage. Water can move between the syrup-based binder and the protein-rich components, changing the mobility and flexibility of the mixture. Protein interactions may also produce a firmer internal structure over time, depending on recipe composition. These mechanisms help explain why a freshly formed bar can meet its texture specification yet become less acceptable before the end of its intended shelf life; their relative contribution varies with the ingredients and conditions used.
Lactalis focuses on acid casein and rennet casein because their functional behaviour differs from that of caseinates and some other protein ingredients. The company says selected casein combinations can help limit hardening while providing the desired protein level. Acid and rennet casein are themselves distinct materials, and substitution can affect hydration, dispersion and flavour as well as the nutritional declaration. No ingredient-by-ingredient comparison has been released for the new 35% and 43% versions, leaving the exact proportion of each protein source and the extent of reformulation undisclosed.
Production validation would begin with mixing and forming. Powder dispersion and binder addition must be controlled to avoid an uneven mass, while dough-like stiffness affects depositing, rolling, cutting and any subsequent enrobing operation. A bar that holds its shape when cooled may still develop undesirable firmness during distribution, so packaging barrier properties, final moisture and storage conditions must be assessed together. Lactalis describes the concepts as easy to implement in existing processes, but has not published mixing parameters, operating speeds, product dimensions or trials across different commercial lines.
Bitterness is another persistent issue in highly concentrated protein products because individual proteins, flavour systems and sweeteners contribute to the overall sensory balance. Lactalis reports reduced bitterness in the new concepts, but has not published the size or design of a sensory panel or any comparative numerical results. The observation is therefore best treated as a reported application outcome, not evidence that the formulations will perform identically across different chocolate coatings, inclusions or retail shelf lives.
The commercial proposition is tied to protein-rich snacks moving beyond a narrow sports-nutrition market. Lactalis is presenting both concepts to manufacturers developing everyday products intended to balance nutrition with a familiar confectionery-style eating experience. However, texture and protein content are not interchangeable measures of product acceptability: a higher protein percentage can change the amount and behaviour of binder needed to maintain a soft bite. The 2026 work raises the concentration options available in the supplier’s showcase, while the assessment of finished-product shelf life still rests with each customer’s formulation and validation programme.
A possible one-for-one replacement of caseinates would be commercially relevant if it avoids major reformulation work or changes to processing equipment. Yet a weight-for-weight substitution is not the same as equivalence in water demand, viscosity, mineral profile or sensory properties. Manufacturers would need to determine whether binding, coating adhesion and finished bar hardness remain within specification before treating the substitution as operationally neutral. Lactalis describes cost optimisation as an opportunity rather than reporting a verified saving against a defined reference recipe.
Visitors to Fi Europe will be able to examine and taste the two bars at Lactalis Ingredients’ Frankfurt stand. Subsequent customer evaluations will need to establish whether the reported softness, bitterness and caseinate-replacement benefits can be repeated with different ingredients, equipment and packaging. The announced development is the introduction of 35% and 43% protein chocolate-hazelnut concepts to the supplier’s existing casein application range; comparative industrial yield, shelf-life and manufacturing-cost results have not been disclosed.
