Milk without cows? Inside the science of lab-grown milk shaking dairy world

Lab-grown milk, sometimes called "animal-free dairy," is real dairy produced without cows and contains actual milk proteins (casein and whey)

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Starting early next year, Israelis will find a new kind of milk on their supermarket shelves - one made without cows. Remilk, a food-tech startup, announced it will begin selling its lab-produced milk made from dairy proteins through a partnership with Gad Dairies from next year, according to a report by The Times of Israel.

 

The company claims its “cow-free” milk tastes exactly like the dairy one. From January, two variants: a 3 per cent fat milk and a vanilla-flavoured version will be available under the label New Milk. Both are lactose-free, cholesterol-free, and made without antibiotics or hormones.

 

A separate 'Barista' line, meant for cafés and restaurants, will appear within days, the report said.

 

Remilk’s founders say prices will be similar to other milk alternatives like soy or almond milk but unlike them, this one is “real” dairy. The only difference being that no cows will be involved.

 

Remilk may enter US market

 

The launch comes more than two years after Israel’s health ministry approved Remilk’s products for sale, clearing the path for one of the world’s first large-scale rollouts of lab-grown milk. The company is also in talks to enter the US market.

 

Remilk isn’t alone in lab-grown dairy farming. Food giant Strauss Group has also launched cow-free drinks and cream cheese made using similar precision fermentation technology through another Israeli startup, Imagindairy. It’s the beginning of what some call a "post-cow era", a shift that could transform the global dairy industry.

 

What is lab-grown milk?

 

Lab-grown milk, sometimes called 'animal-free dairy', is real dairy produced without cows. Unlike almond, oat, or soy milk, which are plant-based substitutes, lab-grown milk contains actual milk proteins (casein and whey), identical to those found in cow’s milk.

 

There are two main production methods:

 

• Mammary cell cultures: Cow mammary cells are grown in bioreactors that naturally produce milk.
• Precision fermentation: Scientists insert milk-producing genes into microbes like yeast, which secrete milk proteins when fed sugar. These proteins are then blended with fats and carbohydrates to make milk.

 

The result then is dairy that looks, tastes, and behaves like the real thing despite it being completely grown in a lab. You can froth it for coffee, make cheese, or churn it into ice cream but without the environmental costs or ethical concerns of traditional dairy farming.

 

How does it compare nutritionally?

 

Lab-grown milk is engineered to be nutritionally identical to conventional milk. It contains the same proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, meaning it has all nine essential amino acids, comparable calcium levels, and a similar calorie profile.

 

Because it is made in controlled conditions, producers can also remove lactose or tweak fat content more easily than traditional dairy farmers. For example, Remilk’s New Milk is lactose-free, making it suitable for those with intolerance.

 

By contrast, most plant-based milks are lower in protein and require fortification to match the nutritional value of cow’s milk. Lab-grown milk, in theory, offers the best of both worlds real dairy nutrition with a lower environmental footprint.

 

What are the challenges?

 

Despite its promise, cost remains the biggest hurdle. Producing milk proteins in bioreactors is expensive, and few large-scale facilities exist.

 

Regulations are also evolving. Since animal-free dairy contains the same proteins as cow’s milk, it must carry allergen warnings. Many countries are still deciding how to label and regulate such products.

 

Then there’s public perception. Convincing people to pour lab milk into their morning coffee and tea will require a long-drawn process of trust, transparency, and perhaps time.

 

Though lab-grown milk closely imitates real dairy, scientists concede that it still doesn't contain some of the more complicated components like immune cells and certain lipids, which are crucial elements of natural products.

 

Who's taking the lead?

 

Israel has taken the lead as a global hub for innovative lab-grown dairy, with startups like Remilk, Wilk, and Imagindairy leading the charge. Singapore, meanwhile - the first country to approve lab-grown meat - has also opened to lab-grown dairy, adding companies like TurtleTree Labs.

 

In the US, Brown Foods in Boston is developing "UnReal Milk," a product made entirely from milk that's been grown in the laboratory to mimic all the important parts of cow's milk. The US Food and Drug Administration has given the greenlight for commercial use of several lab-grown dairy proteins.

 

Europe is not moving as fast because of strict food safety regulations, but countries like Germany and Switzerland are testing lab-grown dairy and developing production capacity.

 

Canada has also approved Remilk’s animal-free proteins for use in food manufacturing, though direct consumer sales are still limited.

 

Is lab-grown milk available in India?

 

Being one of the world’s largest producers and consumers of dairy, India is cautiously entering the space. Startups like Surat-based Zero Cow Factory and Bengaluru’s Phyx44 are experimenting with precision fermentation to make animal-free dairy proteins.

 

However, cultural attachment to traditional milk, along with unclear regulations under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), remain major challenges. Cost and consumer acceptance will determine whether such products can find a foothold in a country where milk is both a staple and a sentiment.