Got colostrum?

Les points-clés en français au bas de l'article

At the beginning of August, an unusual flavor appeared in the ice cream segment and sparked conversation: breast milk. Launched by American baby product company Frida and OddFellows Ice Cream, the breast milk-inspired flavour does not contain real breast milk but does feature a standout ingredient: bovine (not human) colostrum, which is the first form of milk produced by a cow immediately after giving birth and is exceptionally rich in nutrients and antibodies.

Although scientific evidence about its benefits is still limited, bovine colostrum–available in powdered form for mixing into cold beverages – has become the wellness industry’s latest “it” supplement over the past two years.

Brands that sell it often present it as “liquid gold,” a miracle ingredient claimed to boost immunity, improve gut health, enhance skin, and support cellular renewal. This ambitious promise draws not only on marketing but also on the deep cultural symbolism of milk and colostrum as sources of nourishment, life and protection.

Three key territories:

1. Performance and biohacking
Colostrum as the ultimate elixir: a concentrate of rich nutrients designed by nature to meet the needs of brand new bodies while they need them. The difference with manufactured supplement being that companies promise supercharged, highly potent formulae that remain available at all times.

E.g.: American brand Armra describes colostrum as "1 superfood" containing "400+ Nutrients" and promising "1000+ Benefits", in other words a "Revival of Health"

2. Maternal care and protection
On an emotional level, colostrum taps into themes of nurture, safety, and life-giving nourishment – a powerful narrative in an anxiety-driven world.
Marketing often emphasizes the idea of a “barrier” such as restoring the gut lining as a way to defend the body against external threats.
In terms of experience, the association with babyhood is even stronger when colostrum is used in powder form, echoing the ritual of mixing formula with water.

Yet this territory can also provoke discomfort. In 2011, London ice-cream shop Icecreamists launched Baby Gaga, made with actual human breast milk, cream, vanilla, and sugar – a product that quickly sparked controversy.

3. Tradition and a return to animal-based foods
Colostrum is also part of a broader cultural shift toward traditional, animal-based ingredients, positioned as authentic and “real” compared to their plant-based alternatives.
Erewhon’s infamous Raw Animal smoothie – made with cow organs and colostrum – pushed this trend to its extreme. The narrative here is one of going “back to basics,” in line with movements like MAHA (Make America Healthy Again).

E.g. Cowboy Colostrum's slogan: "An ancient food for modern times" sums up the brand's approach, i.e. "celebrating the enduring legacy of the primal connection between humans and bovines, bridging the gap between traditional practices and contemporary wellness."

The brand's visual universe – cowboy hats, traditional motifs, rural America and rodeos – is particularly well reflected in its campaign with TV celebrity Hannah Godwin, in a barn, red-and-white gingham, and a pink milk mustache, with Nancy Sinatra's "These boots are made for walking" playing in the background.

Wellness meets nostalgia meets cultural symbolism
Colostrum as a supplement occupies a unique space. Whether framed as a performance booster, a maternal safeguard, or a traditional food, it sits at the intersection of scientific biohacking and the return to primal nature, while also carrying an emotional dimension through the imprint of motherhood.

Its rise reveals not just a search for the next superfood, but a deeper longing for purity, protection, and connection to nature, however paradoxical or provocative the forms it may take.

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Les points-clés en français:

• Le lancement d'une glace au "lait maternel" a récemment beaucoup fait parler : pas de lait humain dans la recette mais du colostrum bovin, nouveau chouchou des adeptes de compléments alimentaires

• Un ingrédient qui occupe une position très particulière, à l'intersection de 3 territoires jusqu'ici très distincts :
  - celui de la performance, voire du biohacking, en raison de sa concentration nutritionnelle exceptionnelle.
  Exemple : la marque Armra
  
  - celui du soin maternel et de la protection (notion de barrière très présente, complément sous forme de poudre, à mélanger exactement comme le lait maternisé)
  
  - celui de la tradition et d'une nature originelle, un imaginaire qui se redéploie aujourd'hui fortement, notamment aux USA avec le retour aux "vrais" lait, beurre, etc.
  Exemple : la marque Cowboy Colostrum qui vante les bienfaits de ses produits à travers un univers visuel entièrement construit sur l'Amérique rurale, les rodéos et le bon vieux temps