FPP Amsterdam 2025 Speaker Exclusive: Ignacio Vargas of Givaudan on the sensory and strategic breakthroughs driving dairy and dairy alternatives

From oat milk to precision-fermented casein, the taste and texture of next-generation proteins depend on more than science alone. At Givaudan, Ignacio Vargas is helping bridge the gap between innovation and consumer appeal – and this October he’ll share his insights at The Future of Protein Production Amsterdam

What makes a glass of oat milk creamy, a protein bar palatable, or a precision-fermented casein taste like the real thing? Behind each of those experiences lies a web of science and sensory design that is reshaping the future of protein. At Givaudan, Ignacio Vargas leads efforts to translate the latest protein innovations into products that deliver not only nutrition but also taste, texture, and consumer appeal.

As Regional Innovation Product Development Manager for Dairy and Dairy Alternatives, Vargas spends his days testing unfamiliar ingredients, working alongside startups and multinationals, and pushing new proteins closer to mainstream adoption. This October, he will join other global thought leaders at The Future of Protein Production Amsterdam (29-30 October 2025) to share his perspective on where the next breakthroughs will come from.

Innovation in dairy alternatives

“My role is to bring innovation to the European market,” Vargas says. “We do this via the solutions in our wide portfolio of flavors, colors, and functional ingredients.”

That remit goes well beyond masking off notes. Givaudan has been working with alternative proteins for years, experimenting with every pea, potato, faba, lentil, and chickpea protein available in Europe, while also keeping an eye on what is next. “We’re always experimenting with what could be the upcoming source of protein for dairy,” he explains. “That includes yeast, mycoprotein, and precision fermentation.”

This breadth of experience means Givaudan isn’t just a supplier of flavor solutions. It is an innovation partner, helping to translate emerging protein technologies into products consumers will actually enjoy.

From early plant-based bets to mainstream strategy

Vargas notes that Givaudan recognized early the potential of plant-based proteins in meat analogs. In 2018, the company published a patent for flavor modifiers designed specifically for meat substitutes and developed technology to reproduce a realistic chicken-like texture and taste.

The dairy side of the equation followed a slightly different path. Soy, almond, and oat-based milks had already achieved mainstream recognition before the recent surge in plant-based innovation. “Since many years ago, we started developing flavors and solutions for those as well,” he says. The cumulative effect is a portfolio of knowledge that spans both the early plant-based era and the more recent wave of precision fermentation and microbial proteins.

“New proteins are not a passing niche. They are a relevant and growing opportunity – for the market and for us as an innovation partner”

From Vargas’ vantage point, the shift in corporate perspectives on new proteins is striking. “We see new proteins not as a passing niche, but as a relevant and growing opportunity,” he says. Sustainability imperatives, consumer demand for high-protein diets, and the search for novel functionalities all point to long-term growth.

Challenges and opportunities

Over the past 18 months, Vargas has seen corporate priorities evolve. “Initially, much of the focus was on enabling the use of these new sources – understanding their characteristics, managing off notes, and getting them to perform functionally,” he explains.

Now, the emphasis is on optimization. High-protein products are no longer enough; they must deliver on taste, texture, and nutrition simultaneously.

Startups and multinationals are playing distinct roles here. “Startups tend to be the ones driving the creation, production, and initial launch of the most innovative protein sources – they can move quickly, take bigger risks, and often bring completely new ideas to the market,” Vargas says. “Multinationals, on the other hand, are increasingly focusing on how to accelerate these new proteins at scale. We’re now seeing some major food producers actively exploring their own precision fermentation projects – a sign that what began in smaller, agile companies is maturing into mainstream strategy.”

Ingredient suppliers sit between these poles, quietly refining existing protein crops and developing new variants that improve taste, solubility, and processability. This work might not grab headlines, but it underpins the reliability and functionality that brands need in order to build products at scale.

Flavor and functionality remain the most complex hurdles. “Each protein comes with its own set of taste challenges,” Vargas says. “There’s no one-size-fits-all fix.” Functionality, meanwhile, requires rigorous testing across multiple processing conditions to understand stability, processability, and texture. Givaudan’s approach is to co-create with partners from the earliest stages, addressing these issues before they become locked into product formulations.

Despite these hurdles, the opportunities are vast. Duckweed, rubisco, and other emerging crops are showing improved taste and performance, while advances in fermentation are opening entirely new categories. Designing with regulatory approval in mind has become a hallmark of this new wave of innovation, reducing the time from lab to consumer.

Collaboration as the catalyst

If there is one theme Vargas returns to repeatedly, it is collaboration. He points to Givaudan’s role in last year’s Growth Hack at MISTA, which showcased biomass fermentation and highlighted how sensory optimization and functional performance can advance more quickly through joint efforts.

“We’re definitely moving toward greater openness and co-creation in the new protein space,” he says. While companies still protect their intellectual property, there is growing recognition that shared development accelerates progress.

Public-private partnerships and consortia are also playing a bigger role. Vargas cites the Netherlands, where government-backed ecosystems are bridging the gap between early-stage innovation and large-scale commercialization. He also highlights Swiss Food & Nutrition Valley, which convenes startups, corporates, investors, and universities around shared challenges such as scaling production and improving taste. “These kinds of collaborations will be essential if we want to accelerate adoption in a way that’s both globally scalable and locally relevant,” he says.

Still, challenges remain. Outside North America and Europe, scale-up capacity is scarce, leaving many promising technologies stuck at pilot level. Regulatory clarity is another major gap, with inconsistent approval pathways delaying market entry. Addressing both issues will require coordinated investment and greater international alignment.

Looking ahead

Traditionally, flavor houses were brought in late in product development. That model is changing. “At Givaudan, we have been working in close collaboration with startups right from the very early stages of their journey,” Vargas explains. Early involvement helps to solve sensory and textural issues before they harden into the DNA of a product.

Beyond flavor, Givaudan is increasingly a strategic partner, providing not only flavor and ingredient solutions but also consumer insights, market intelligence, and digital tools that can model formulations and predict responses. “We support our customers by sharing consumer and sensory insights, market intelligence, and guidance built on our deep expertise in the food industry,” Vargas says. This combination reduces risk, shortens timelines, and ensures final products resonate with both taste and functionality.

“Collaboration is no longer optional. Trust and openness are the foundation that enables real co-creation and accelerates innovation”

Asked what excites him most, Vargas points to regulation. “The imminent publication of the new EU Biotech Act, expected in 2026, will be a game changer,” he says. Precision fermented dairy proteins may soon gain approval in the EU, opening the door to broader innovation.

His advice to startups is simple: be transparent. “Working with new proteins is complex, and no single player has all the answers,” he says. Transparency builds trust, and trust accelerates innovation.

If he could change one thing in the global ecosystem, Vargas knows what it would be. “I would significantly shorten regulatory timelines and establish clear, harmonized requirements for novel proteins – without ever compromising on food safety.” For him, this is not just an innovation issue, but a sustainability imperative.

And that might be the central message of his work: the future of protein innovation depends not only on what new molecules are discovered or what flavors are masked, but on how the entire ecosystem chooses to collaborate, regulate, and scale. As Vargas puts it, “The faster we can responsibly introduce these solutions, the sooner they can contribute to reducing environmental impact and improving global food security.”

Ignacio Vargas is one of more than 100 speakers taking to the stage at The Future of Protein Production Amsterdam on 29/30 October 2025. To join him and more than 1,000 other attendees, book your conference ticket today and use the code, 'PPTI10', for an extra 10% discount on the current rate. Click here