Solutions for cooking, whipping, and beyond
Creams – whether for cooking or whipping – may be one of the more mature categories in dairy, but that doesn’t make them simple. This category covers a wide group of products, representing various technical challenges, including various pH levels (from neutral to acidic), fat levels (from full fat (>=30%) to light (from 8-20% fat) to extra light (as low as 4% fat). The type of cream determines the performance and textural needs, which can range from “liquid” to “semi-thick” to “thick.”
But behind their apparent familiarity lies a constant balancing act between process robustness, cost pressure, sensory performance and evolving expectations around label-friendliness and sustainability.
Fortunately, that’s where Cargill’s ingredients come in to take your dairy creams to the next level. Whether you need to overcome a formulation challenge in cooking, whipping, or beyond, these solutions truly are: “The cream of the crop.”
Some key statistics on dairy creams, showing room for growth:
- 5 markets represent 66% of European creams volumes.1
- Russia and Germany are the Top 2 markets.1
- 0.9% CAGR until 2030.1
- Over 1,500 product launches in the last 3 years.2
A “creams” definition
Cream is a dairy product that is composed of the higher-butterfat layer skimmed from the top of milk. It can be used as an ingredient in a variety of foods, including ice cream, soups, sauces, cakes and desserts.
The dairy cream category:
- Includes products with different functionalities (cooking, whipping, glazing) and technical challenges, in different fat versions.
- Covers both neutral pH and acidic pH creams (whether fermented or directly acidified), e.g., single cream, cooking cream, heavy cream, sour cream, crème fraiche, whipped cream and half & half cream.
- Also includes plant-based and hybrid creams.
Key challenges
While each type of cream has its specific challenges, the key challenges that manufacturers face in creating delightful creams can be summarized as four-fold:
- Create right viscosity.
- Ensure stability in different conditions/applications.
- Deliver required performance/functionality (whipping, cooking...)
- Deliver nice mouthfeel.
The good news is that Cargill has all the solutions & expertise to address these challenges.
“There’s no single ‘magic’ solution for creams. Every product depends on the customer’s process, target texture, fat level, shelf-life, labeling requirements, and cost constraints. It’s all about customizing towards their needs.”
The crème de la crème of ingredient solutions
Expert perspectives: The cream of the crop
Four Cargill dairy experts, who work at the intersection of market strategy, R&D and functional systems, outline how small improvements can have big impact in creams. Together, they share how dairy and hybrid cream formulations are evolving – and how plant-based and performant solutions can help manufacturers move forward without compromise.
Recipe: Reduced fat, fluid cooking cream
Thanks to the innovative composition of our Lygomme® ACL 925 functional system, our experts were able to achieve a robust and cost-efficient, reduced fat (18%), fluid cooking cream with good cooking properties.
Small improvements can make a big difference. Let’s achieve “The cream of the crop” together!
1 Euromonitor database, creams total volumes, Europe, 2025-2030
2 Innova Market Insights product launch database, Europe, 2023-2025
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