Hoogwegt agrees first purchase of Opalia’s cell-cultivated whole milk

Global dairy ingredients company Hoogwegt is to purchase the first production material of Opalia’s cell-cultivated whole milk for composition testing and product development, with fresh cheese, yogurt and butter among the potential applications.

The companies described the planned purchase as a world first. It follows Hoogwegt’s investment in the Montreal-based business and a commercial agreement covering 2026 and 2027, bringing the dairy supplier further into the development of milk produced using bovine mammary cells.

• Hoogwegt will purchase Opalia’s first production material for composition testing and development work on dairy products.
• Opalia’s planned modular bioreactor targets output of 28L/day, following a CAD$3.2 million (approximately US$2.3 million) initial seed close announced in April.
• A prototype will be presented at Fi Europe in November, with North American regulatory applications planned in the coming year and food-grade status targeted for 2028.

Opalia has validated its whole-milk production process at laboratory scale. The purchase will give Hoogwegt material to assess as the partners investigate how it could be used in dairy products and prepare for larger-scale production.

“The future of dairy will be a mix of traditional and new production methods, and we want to help shape it,” said Roland Wientjes, Global Technology Director at Hoogwegt. “Opalia’s technology could combine everything that makes dairy valuable with more cost-effective and sustainable production.”

The announcement did not disclose the volume or value of the purchase, or provide composition data or results from finished-product testing. The work described remains part of development ahead of regulatory approval and market entry.

“Our partnership with Hoogwegt demonstrates that cell-based milk is moving beyond a scientific concept and toward real commercial applications,” said Jennifer Côté, Co-Founder and CEO of Opalia.

The two companies will present a prototype at Fi Europe in Frankfurt, Germany, on November 17–19. Côté and Wientjes will attend Hoogwegt’s stand to meet potential partners interested in supporting development and exploring future commercial applications.

They aim to turn those discussions into commercial or offtake agreements, adding to relationships Opalia has been building with dairy and food companies across several markets.

Founded in 2020 by Côté and Lucas House, Opalia uses mammary cells grown in a controlled bioreactor environment to produce milk. The company says its patent-pending platform generates the proteins, fats and sugars found in conventional dairy, producing complete milk rather than a single ingredient.

That approach differs from precision fermentation processes typically used to make individual dairy proteins. Opalia’s stated aim is to supply milk that can be sold in fluid or powdered form, or processed into products such as cheese, butter and ice cream using existing dairy processes.

Whether the material performs as required in those applications is a central question for product development. Hoogwegt’s planned composition testing and trials will examine potential uses for the milk as Opalia works on increasing output.

The relationship between the companies predates the latest purchase announcement. In August 2025, they announced a commercial agreement spanning 2026 and 2027 to develop and distribute cell-cultivated dairy products, following Hoogwegt’s earlier investment.

At the time, Hoogwegt CEO Sander Hulsebos described the purchase agreement as a step toward establishing Opalia as a supplier within its dairy business.

“After already having invested in Opalia, this commercial purchase agreement between Opalia and Hoogwegt is a next major step towards establishing Opalia as a strategic supplier of cell-based milk in Hoogwegt’s future sustainable dairy supply chain,” Hulsebos said in the August 2025 announcement.

Headquartered in the Netherlands, Hoogwegt brings experience in dairy ingredients, product development, logistics and international distribution. Its involvement gives Opalia access to an established dairy business as it develops both the production process and possible routes to customers.

Opalia is pursuing a B2B model, supplying milk and milk ingredients and licensing its technology to established food and dairy companies. It does not plan to build a consumer-facing brand.

The company’s next production milestone is a proprietary modular bioreactor designed to deliver 28L/day, which it describes as the equivalent output of one cow. The system is intended to validate scale-up from laboratory production and support subsequent expansion to larger volumes.

In April, Opalia announced an initial seed close of CAD$3.2 million (approximately US$2.3 million) to support that work and advance commercial partnerships. Nàdarra Ventures led the round, with participation from Spring Capital, UCEED and Anges Québec, alongside existing investors Investissement Québec, Cycle Momentum and BoxOne Ventures.

At that point, Opalia outlined a 24-month validation program for its modular system ahead of targeted commercialization in 2028.

“We’ve moved beyond proving the science at laboratory scale, now it’s all about scaling and proving commercial viability. With real commercial partners already at the table, we’re building the infrastructure for cell-based dairy to compete globally, not just conceptually,” Côté said in April.

The company also reported paid pre-commercial pilot agreements with Hoogwegt and the Canadian division of an unnamed major global dairy group. It said it had signed letters of intent with food and dairy corporations across North America, Europe and Asia, which it aimed to convert into further commercial partnerships over the following two years.

Opalia has also focused on eliminating fetal bovine serum from its production process. In its earlier reporting, the company described its serum-free process as an important part of its efforts to reach cost parity with conventional dairy. The latest announcement did not provide production cost figures.

Once its scale-up work has been validated, Opalia intends to license the technology to interested customers with support from Hoogwegt. The planned model would allow other businesses to adopt the production platform, although no licensees or licensing terms were disclosed in the announcement.

Regulatory submissions remain another major step. Opalia plans to apply for approval in North America in the coming year and is targeting food-grade status in 2028. In April, it said international submissions, including in Asia and Europe, were expected to follow its North American filings.

Côté and Wientjes will meet prospective development and commercial partners at Hoogwegt’s stand 51C8 at Fi Europe.

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