Knowledge voucher: Goat milk ice cream as an alternative for people with lactose intolerance?

Not everyone tolerates cow’s milk well. Worldwide, a large part of the population experiences some degree of lactose intolerance. In the Netherlands too, some people avoid dairy products because of digestive issues. For Victor Boone, founder of Happy Goats Goodness, this was a reason to take a different approach: he makes artisanal ice cream from goat’s milk. With support from a knowledge voucher from Food Pioneers, he was able to have his product backed by scientific research.

From personal story to product idea

The idea for Happy Goats Goodness was born on a goat farm where Boone was living at the time. His girlfriend could not tolerate cow’s milk well, but she did tolerate goat’s milk. That got him thinking. Together with his business partner Lars Hoffmann, he explored which products were still missing in the goat segment. It soon became clear that there was no goat milk ice cream on the market yet.

They made a first test batch, sold 614 cups in a single week during a tasting demo at a supermarket in Almere Haven, and saw that customers were enthusiastic. Even though the product was well received, one question remained: is goat’s milk really more digestible for people with lactose intolerance?

Research through a knowledge voucher

To answer that question, Boone and Hoffmann used the knowledge voucher from Food Pioneers in collaboration with Horizon Flevoland. They came across this opportunity during the Q&A session at the end of the Food Pioneers Program, which they had taken part in.

Through the knowledge voucher, they came into contact with Wageningen University & Research, where researchers Etske Bijl and Qing Ren supervised the project. Within the university there was immediate interest in the case. Bijl had already examined thousands of cow’s milk samples, but noted that surprisingly little is known about goat’s milk. That is partly due to the strong position of cow’s milk in the Netherlands.

The central research question was: to what extent do the composition, physiological properties and digestibility of goat’s milk differ from cow’s milk? And can goat’s milk therefore be a suitable alternative for people with lactose intolerance or a cow’s milk protein allergy?

What did the research show?

Students analysed milk samples from the tanks at Happy Goats Goodness, conducted a literature review and examined differences in fat structure, protein composition and breakdown processes. The conclusion: goat’s milk is generally better tolerated than cow’s milk, especially by people with mild to moderate lactose intolerance.

Boone: “We already suspected this, but now we can back it up with research. The fact that Wageningen is willing to link its name to this helps enormously.”

For the company, this not only confirms their vision, but also provides concrete tools for product development, marketing and conversations with buyers. In short, the research delivered an extra unique selling point.

Impact on the sector

Happy Goats Goodness makes ice cream from 100 percent Dutch goat’s milk and real fruit, without added flavourings. This offers an alternative that is not only more easily digestible for many people, but also contributes to a positive image of the goat sector.

Boone: “We hope this research does not only help us, but also shows the potential value of goat’s milk for a broader group of people. If awareness grows, both we and the sector as a whole will benefit.”

What is a knowledge voucher?

The knowledge voucher from Food Pioneers gives entrepreneurs in Flevoland the opportunity to have their product or idea researched by students or researchers from a knowledge institution. This way, entrepreneurs gain access to expertise that would otherwise be difficult to reach.

Also want to use the knowledge voucher?

Are you a food entrepreneur in Flevoland and would you like to strengthen your idea with support from science? Get in touch with us or explore the options.