Two important events of the DAIRY+ project took place in and around Ljubljana on May 6 and 7, 2025.
On May 6, the third partnership meeting was held at the Faculty of Biotechnology of the University of Ljubljana. Project partners discussed the progress of activities, the management of the various Work Packages, communication strategies, and future objectives. It was an opportunity to assess the first tangible results of the project and to plan the next steps.
The following day, May 7, the second meeting of the cross-border stakeholder group was held, accompanied by a study visit to the Slovenian companies Arhel and ACIES BIO. During the visit, participants – including dairy sector operators – explored innovative technological solutions for whey treatment, aimed at extracting substances usable in human and animal nutrition, as well as in the nutraceutical and pharmaceutical sectors.
ARHEL offers innovative products enriched with functional and bioactive ingredients for a healthy lifestyle. It has developed a line of plant-based drinks enriched with proteins extracted from whey.
ACIES BIO works, among other things, on the development and scale-up of bioprocesses and the innovative transformation and valorisation of by-products.
The technologies presented not only improve production efficiency but also offer an important contribution to reducing the environmental impact linked to the disposal of acidic whey, which often represents a challenge for companies in the sector. However, a common challenge emerged: ensuring that these processes are economically accessible also for small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the backbone of the dairy system in the cross-border area.
The two days represented a valuable opportunity for exchange between partners and stakeholders, strengthening cooperation and guiding the project toward concrete, sustainable, and replicable solutions.
