{"id":693,"date":"2025-11-14T10:00:37","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T10:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/agrifood-futures\/?p=693"},"modified":"2026-05-06T16:34:53","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T15:34:53","slug":"sustainable-dairy-partnership-wins-top-award-for-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.reading.ac.uk\/agrifood-futures\/sustainable-dairy-partnership-wins-top-award-for-innovation\/","title":{"rendered":"Sustainable dairy partnership wins top award for innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

Yogurt that tastes better and\u00a0is\u00a0produced\u00a0more sustainably\u00a0is the\u00a0result of a partnership between\u00a0Britain\u2019s largest organic dairy\u00a0manufacturer,\u00a0Yeo Valley, and the\u00a0University of Reading.\u00a0And now this collaboration\u00a0has been named\u00a0<\/span>Best Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP)<\/span><\/a>, celebrating\u00a0work\u00a0that is\u00a0transforming food production and driving sustainable growth.\u00a0The award\u00a0was announced\u00a0at the prestigious Innovate UK ceremony in Manchester, marking the 50th anniversary of the KTP programme.<\/span><\/p>\n

This recognition highlights\u00a0a two-year collaboration that transformed\u00a0yogurt\u00a0production through\u00a0cutting-edge\u00a0research and innovation, combining Reading\u2019s academic excellence in food science\u00a0and\u00a0state-of-the-art\u00a0processing facilities\u00a0with Yeo Valley\u2019s commitment to sustainable, high-quality dairy products.<\/span><\/p>\n

The project\u00a0combined\u00a0process\u00a0control,\u00a0modelling\u00a0and\u00a0dairy\u00a0science to advance understanding of milk protein denaturation and gel formation\u00a0\u2013\u00a0critical steps in creating the perfect texture and taste. By applying rigorous research to real-world production, the\u00a0team\u00a0improved\u00a0milk utilisation, reduced waste and improved product consistency. These changes delivered significant financial and environmental benefits, helping Yeo Valley strengthen its position as an independent business while supporting the UK\u2019s food sector to grow sustainably.<\/span><\/p>\n

Professor Colette Fagan<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0Professor of Food Processing at University of Reading and\u00a0lead academic on the project, said:\u00a0\u201cThis award celebrates what can happen when universities and businesses work together. By sharing\u00a0expertise, we\u2019ve not only improved\u00a0product quality\u00a0but also created real benefits for sustainability,\u00a0industry\u00a0and education.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Beyond industry impact, the partnership enriched teaching and research at Reading. Seven student projects were supervised during the KTP, and findings have been shared at a leading dairy science conference.<\/span><\/p>\n

This collaboration\u00a0demonstrates\u00a0how academic-industry partnerships drive innovation that supports health, sustainability and economic growth,\u00a0benefitting\u00a0consumers,\u00a0businesses\u00a0and students alike.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The success of this\u00a0partnership\u00a0has sparked a long-term relationship between Reading and Yeo Valley, including a second KTP and further projects. It is a powerful example of how research excellence and business collaboration can deliver impact far beyond the laboratory.<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>University’s Knowledge Exchange and External Partnerships<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(KEEP) team\u00a0played\u00a0a key role in supporting and\u00a0facilitating\u00a0this\u00a0collaboration.\u00a0Whether\u00a0you’re\u00a0a researcher\u00a0considering a partnership with industry\u00a0and\u00a0exploring ways to commercialise your research\u00a0or a\u00a0business\u00a0interested in collaborative projects, KEEP can help you\u00a0identify\u00a0opportunities\u00a0and\u00a0navigate the process of\u00a0building connections.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Yogurt that tastes better and\u00a0is\u00a0produced\u00a0more sustainably\u00a0is the\u00a0result of a partnership between\u00a0Britain\u2019s largest organic dairy\u00a0manufacturer,\u00a0Yeo Valley, and the\u00a0University of Reading.\u00a0And now this collaboration\u00a0has been named\u00a0Best Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), celebrating\u00a0work\u00a0that…Read More ><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1187,"featured_media":694,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"__cvm_playback_settings":[],"__cvm_video_id":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"coauthors":[18],"class_list":["post-693","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSustainable dairy partnership wins top award for innovation - 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