Case Study A - Mellio Foods Vegan Yoghurt Development

Project Overview

Mellio Foods engaged Navigate Food to develop a next-generation vegan yoghurt designed to deliver strong nutritional performance without compromising on taste and texture. The ambition was clear: create a plant-based yoghurt that could compete with (and outperform) conventional products — combining high protein, low sugar, and clean-label ingredients, while overcoming the typical sensory limitations associated with plant proteins.

Navigate Food was engaged to translate this into a technically robust, scalable product platform.

Project Objectives

• Develop a vegan, non-dairy yoghurt base

• Deliver high protein from allergen-friendly plant sources

• Maintain excellent taste and smooth texture, with minimal plant-protein impact

• Achieve a clean-label, low-sugar formulation

• Identify and optimise a vegan fermentation system

• Ensure manufacturability and stability

  
  

Navigate Food’s Role

Navigate Food led the end-to-end development programme from formulation through to pilot-scale validation.

Key activities included:

Formulation Development

• Design of a vegan yoghurt matrix

• Integration of plant protein and fat systems

• Optimisation of texture, viscosity, and mouthfeel

  
  

Sensory Optimisation

• Minimising off-notes typically associated with plant proteins

• Balancing flavour systems to deliver a clean, yoghurt-like profile

• Achieving a smooth, creamy texture without grittiness

  
  

Fermentation System Design

• Selection of vegan-compatible cultures

• Control of acidification to support both flavour and structural stability

  
  

Process Development

• Refinement of process flow and critical parameters

• Managing interactions between heat treatment, shear, and fermentation

  
  

Scale-Up & Validation

• Pilot factory trial at The FoodBowl, Auckland https://foodinnovationnetwork.co.nz/hubs/#food-bowl

• Successful validation of two flavours under production conditions

Technical Challenges & Solutions

Pea Protein Integration (Sensory Focus)

Pea protein was selected for its strong nutritional and allergen-friendly profile, but presented key challenges:

• Off-flavours (earthy / beany notes)

• Texture issues (grittiness, chalkiness)

• Impact on overall product smoothness and flavour clarity

  
  

A core focus of the project was ensuring minimal impact on flavour and texture. This was achieved through:

• Careful formulation balancing

• Targeted flavour system design

• Process optimisation to improve dispersion and mouthfeel

The result was a high-protein vegan yoghurt with a clean, approachable flavour and smooth texture.

Vegan Fermentation System

Developing a dairy-free fermented product required:

• Culture selection suited to plant substrates

• Controlled acidification to avoid protein destabilisation

• Delivering a familiar yoghurt flavour profile without dairy

  
  

Product Solution

The final product platform delivered:

• ~18g protein per serve

• Olive oil as a functional fat source

• Allergen-friendly plant protein system

• Real fruit and natural flavours

• Low sugar and controlled calorie profile

• Smooth texture and clean flavour profile

Client Impact

This project has enabled Mellio Foods to progress from concept to a technically validated product platform, with a clear pathway toward initial market entry.

The current phase is focused on refining the product and process for small-scale commercial production, ensuring consistency, stability, and operational feasibility.

The work has also supported:

• Successful R&D grant approval

• Investment in fermentation capability

• Continued development toward a scalable, market-ready product

Navigate Food continues to support Mellio in balancing nutrition, sensory performance, and manufacturability as the product moves closer to commercial launch.