France’s dairy surplus and underutilization

France produces 30% more milk proteins than it consumes, but more than a third of these proteins are used as basic ingredients rather than high-value products. This underutilization affects the prices paid to farmers, according to economist Corentin Puvilland from the Cniel, who emphasized that the issue is not a lack of supply but a lack of effective use.

Rising demand for proteins

The demand for proteins has grown significantly, driven by trends such as the popularity of functional foods, the rise of sports nutrition, and the use of GLP-1 treatments that encourage higher protein intake to maintain muscle mass. Sales of high-protein yogurts in France have surged from 10,000 tons in 2020 to 80,000 tons in 2025, with products like Skyr and white cheeses benefiting from this trend.

Diverse uses of milk proteins

Milk proteins are divided into two main components: caseins, which make up 80%, and serum proteins, which account for 20%. Skimmed milk is processed into skim powder, which contains 36% protein. Further processing can yield caseins, milk protein concentrates (MPC), or micellar caseins, which are more valuable. On the cheese side, serum proteins are used in whey, which can be processed into whey protein concentrates (WPC) or isolates (WPI), with the latter containing up to 90% protein.

Price differences by protein concentration

The value of milk proteins increases with their concentration. In mid-2026, whey powder reached about 14,000 euros per ton of protein, while skim powder was priced at around 7,000 euros per ton. Milk protein concentrates reached up to 10,000 euros per ton, and whey protein concentrate (WPC80) exceeded 22,000 euros per ton, more than three times its value from 2018–2020. Whey protein isolates have recently been valued at 30 euros per kilo of protein.

France’s production and market position

France produces more milk proteins than it consumes, but about 36% of these proteins end up as basic dry ingredients, such as skim powders and whey. This amount represents 8.4 billion liters of milk equivalent in 2025, a volume that has remained stable since 2018, despite the growing demand for more advanced protein products.

Comparing France and Germany

Compared to Germany, France is lagging in the use of cheese ingredients, particularly in the production of string cheeses like mozzarella, which are in high demand in Germany. In 2024, Germany produced 484,000 tons of string cheeses, while France produced only 84,000 tons. This gap has existed for over 20 years and is widening, as Germany transforms more whey into valuable protein products.

Market value and production strengths

France is a major producer of milk proteins, with its total value reaching about 765 million euros in 2025—twice that of Germany. It leads globally in micellar caseins from skimmed milk filtration, which are gaining value but still lag behind serum proteins. However, over half of this value comes from caseins and caseinates, which are less suited for high-protein products.

Future outlook and investment needs

The future of the French dairy sector depends on whether membrane-filtered milk proteins can benefit as much as whey from the hyper-protein trend. If so, France could see significant gains similar to Germany’s success with serum proteins. However, if the valuation gap remains, strategic shifts toward serum proteins may be necessary. A 2025 study estimated that France would need between 170 and 210 million euros in investment to catch up on its delay and reach 2% of the global WPC80 and isolate market by 2030.