Albert Heijn launches “hybrid” milks in PlanetDairy tie-up

Photo: PlanetDairy

Albert Heijn, the largest grocer in the Netherlands, is launching a line of “hybrid” milks containing dairy and plant-based ingredients, Just Drinks reports.

The retailer, part of the Ahold Delhaize group, has teamed up with Denmark-based PlanetDairy and Dutch business Farm Dairy Netherlands.

PlanetDairy combines traditional dairy ingredients with plants through a precision fermentation process. The milks, sold under the retailer’s AH private label, were made at Farm Dairy Netherlands’ site in the Dutch town of Lelystad.

“At Albert Heijn, we pride ourselves on being pathbreakers in Dutch retail,” Jan de Graaf, the head of the dairy category at Albert Heijn, said.

“The Farm Dairy and PlanetDairy partnership has enabled us to be the first to launch dairy and plant milk blends in the Netherlands.”

Set up by three dairy industry executives in 2022, PlanetDairy has combined dairy ingredients with plants to create its alternative to cheese sold under the Audu brand. The Audu range offers hybrid versions to mozzarella and cheddar, available in block, sliced and grated formats.

Earlier this year, PlanetDairy CEO Jakob Skovgaard told Just Food the company was in talks with retailers to launch more products.

“We first met Albert Heijn in the spring of 2024,” PlanetDairy CTO Dr Paul Cornillon said today (17 June). “We shared the success of our cheese launch in the Nordic markets and approached them with ideas on cheese, milk and yogurt.”

PlanetDairy told Just Food the milks are being sold “nationwide” in the Netherlands at €1.39 ($1.61).

Arend Bouwer, the MD of Farm Dairy Netherlands, said the company was working on more products with PlanetDairy.

“This is just the first step. We are already working on our next project together: yogurt blends,” Bouwer said.