NXW Nutrition from Water and PROLACTO join forces to develop protein blends for Iberian market

NXW Nutrition from Water has entered into a partnership with Azores-based ingredient producer PROLACTO to explore the development and commercialization of functional ingredient blends for food and nutrition manufacturers across the Iberian Peninsula and selected international markets.

The agreement brings together NXW's water-derived proteins and fibers with PROLACTO's existing ingredient portfolio and blending capabilities. The companies intend to develop formulations that combine conventional dairy ingredients with biomanufactured alternatives, responding to customer requirements for nutrition, functionality and ingredient supply.

• NXW and PROLACTO will explore joint ingredient development and commercialization across Iberia.
• The collaboration combines dairy expertise with water-derived proteins and fibers.
• Both companies will exhibit together at SIAL Paris, October 17-21, 2026.

For NXW Nutrition from Water, the agreement offers an opportunity to demonstrate how its protein and fiber ingredients can work alongside established dairy components rather than replace them. The company has developed a biotechnology platform designed to produce complete proteins and fibers using water-derived resources, with a commercial strategy centered on partnerships with food and nutrition manufacturers.

"We have built our ingredient platform to complement dairy, not to compete with it," said Federico Duarte, CEO of NXW Nutrition from Water. "Working with PROLACTO is an opportunity to validate our thesis and bring to market solutions that combine the best of dairy, along with biomanufactured ingredients.”

The partnership will initially focus on opportunities within the Iberian Peninsula, covering Spain and Portugal, as well as named international customers. The companies have not disclosed specific product formulations, commercial volumes or a timetable for bringing the proposed blends to market.

PROLACTO brings an established manufacturing and ingredient development business to the collaboration. Founded in 1968 on São Miguel in the Azores, the company supplies dairy and non-dairy ingredients to food and beverage manufacturers worldwide.

Its portfolio includes ingredients for infant nutrition, chocolate, bakery, ice cream and beverage mixes, alongside customized blends and functional premixes. The company serves industrial customers and private-label businesses, giving it experience in developing ingredient combinations for different manufacturing requirements.

The agreement fits PROLACTO's strategy of expanding its ingredient offering through partnerships with companies that provide complementary technologies and capabilities.
“Our strategy is to build a broader ingredient platform through partnerships that add capabilities around our core expertise. NXW Nutrition from Water's water-derived proteins and fibres complement PROLACTO creating an opportunity to develop differentiated solutions around customer needs. We look forward to exploring how we can bring that value to customers across Iberia and selected international markets,” said Oscar Criado del Rey, CEO of the PROLACTO Platform.

The collaboration is particularly relevant to applications in which manufacturers need to balance nutritional composition with the functional properties of different ingredients. PROLACTO's experience in dairy formulations and premixes provides a starting point for investigating how NXW's proteins and fibers could be incorporated into existing or newly developed products.

‍Rather than concentrating exclusively on replacing animal-derived ingredients, the proposed approach allows the companies to investigate hybrid formulations containing both dairy and biotechnology-derived components.

Such combinations could give manufacturers additional options when developing products with specific protein, fiber or formulation requirements. However, the partners have yet to identify which applications will be prioritized or disclose performance data for any jointly developed blends.

NXW describes its protein ingredients as complete, a nutritional designation generally used for proteins containing all nine essential amino acids in sufficient proportions. The company is developing its platform around affordable industrial-scale production, with the stated objective of helping food and nutrition businesses diversify ingredient sourcing and manage supply costs.

PROLACTO's existing customer relationships and blending infrastructure could provide a commercial route for evaluating these ingredients in finished formulations. The partnership also gives PROLACTO access to an additional ingredient category without requiring it to develop the underlying biotechnology itself.

For both companies, the immediate task will be identifying customer requirements and determining where combinations of their respective ingredients can offer suitable nutritional and functional characteristics.

The announcement comes immediately ahead of SIAL Paris 2026, which takes place from October 17-21. NXW Nutrition from Water and PROLACTO will co-exhibit at the international food industry exhibition, providing an opportunity to introduce the partnership to prospective customers and discuss potential applications.

The companies are inviting manufacturers and other interested businesses to arrange meetings with their teams during the event.

Neither company has announced a financial investment associated with the agreement, and no exclusive distribution arrangements or binding purchase commitments have been disclosed. The partnership remains focused on exploring co-development and commercialization opportunities, with further details of specific products expected to depend on the outcome of that work.

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