From cheese to craft beer: IFF’s latest technologies address F&B’s top pressure points

International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) is addressing two of the food and beverage industry’s most pressing demands — sustainability in production and the rise of no- and low-alcohol drinking — with its Choozit Lift and Diazyme (no- and low-alcohol) solutions. 

Choozit Lift is a culture technology that eliminates 100% of the water used in curd washing by controlling lactose levels. The ingredient targets cheesemakers across industrial and artisanal segments who are facing mounting pressure around water scarcity and energy costs.

Meanwhile, Diazyme NOLO, a specialized transglucosidase enzyme, offers brewers a route into the fast-growing no- and low-alcohol category without compromising on flavor or cost efficiency.

Food Ingredients First sits down with Simon Bird, VP of food, beverage, and biosciences at IFF, and Annie Monette, the company’s senior business director of dairy and cheese, to discuss these latest technologies, market demand, and why sustainability has become a non-negotiable in IFF’s innovation pipeline.

How are manufacturers applying Choozit Lift across different cheese segments, and which markets are most ready to embrace sustainability-focused cheese cultures?

Monette: Choozit Lift can be applied to all kinds of cheese, whatever the segment. It’s good for our big industrial customers because the savings are so important for them, but it can also be applied to any kind of cheese segment — industrial or artisanal.Simon Bird, VP of food, beverage, and biosciences at IFF.

At the same time, cheese uses a lot of energy and water, and all cheesemakers are really concerned about its carbon footprint. This applies to all regions, but especially Europe, where you can have a scarcity of water. For areas such as Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Spain — since all these regions are really concerned about water scarcity and the cost of energy — Choozit Lift provides a true benefit for all cheesemakers.

Another innovation you are focusing on is Diazyme NOLO, which you say enables a full-bodied, non-alcoholic beer, while lowering grist use. How can brewers leverage this technology to expand into craft, flavored, or functional beverages?

Bird: One of the most important things is making sure that you’re starting from an affordable, flavorful base. The benefits that we bring with the Diazyme NOLO technology, compared to the de-argolization process or reducing fermentation, mean that you’re not sacrificing on flavor.

It also provides a great opportunity to reduce grist use. This brings that affordable base to brewers globally and allows them to build on top, whether it be for a flavorful beverage or the functional beverages that consumers are now demanding.

What consumer segments are shaping the growth of the NOLO beer category, and how does Diazyme NOLO meet their expectations?

Bird: No- and low-alcohol beverages make up only about 3.5% of the total beer beverage volume today. However, it’s a fast-moving segment that is on track to grow to around 7% by 2032. We expect that industry to be worth over US$38 billion by that time frame. 

This is really coming from the newer generation — Gen Z and Millennials. They have a more health- and sustainability-conscious mindset. This is where Diazyme NOLO really meets that market trend.

Looking across both innovations, how does IFF see these technologies shaping future opportunities in adjacent categories, and what broader sustainability or wellness trends will guide your ongoing ingredient development?

Bird: Sustainability is at the heart of what we do. We look to make sure that we have sustainable value propositions, whether it be in cheese, fresh dairy, brewing, or bakery. All of our new innovations have sustainability at the forefront.Annie Monette, senior business director of dairy and cheese at IFF.

This is no longer a “nice to have.” Consumers are demanding to understand more about where their food and beverages are coming from. They are also much more conscious when they are picking up packages off the shelf and striving to make conscious choices with a sustainability mindset.

Monette: To echo that, there is also a real need and concern from the final consumer — especially with Gen Z. They really want to buy with an eye toward being conscious of the impact on sustainability — this makes it important for all segments.

At IFF, all of our innovation projects are scored for sustainability to make sure that we also identify benefits. It’s not always easy, but IFF believes we must take sustainability into account when we develop a new product to make sure that we can help the consumer and the producer. It’s not even a question — it’s a mandatory consideration.