The company LOTO developed a pre-prototype of kefir ice cream with the support of the Science Park, betting on functional foods with an impact on health and industry.   

The Pando Science and Technology Park accompanied, together with the Technological University (UTEC), the closing of the first stage of a new development in functional foods from LOTOa Uruguayan company dedicated to the production and marketing of milk kefir-based products. The project, co-financed by the National Agency for Research and Innovation (ANII) through the so-called Tools for Innovation 2023The company sought to develop the first proof of concept of a kefir ice cream oriented to people with specific nutritional requirements and also to a wider public interested in healthy options. 

Kefir, known for its probiotic properties and its benefits for the immune, digestive and metabolic systems, represents an opportunity for innovation in the domestic food industry. With this initiative, LOTO not only positions itself as a pioneer in the development of this type of product in the region, but also strengthens its technical and strategic capabilities to move towards new stages of development and internationalization. The pre-prototype ice cream -which extends the shelf life of the original product and allows better logistics management- is a commitment to diversify the supply of functional foods in the national and regional market, with a scientific basis. 

The Science Park supported the initiative by providing strategic services that included technological and commercial surveillance studies, project design and management, coordination with UTEC and support in applying for financing instruments. This integral work method, focused on open innovation and the connection between diverse actors, allows transforming ideas into viable products, articulating knowledge, management capacity, infrastructure and business vision. 

The experience reaffirms the role of the Science Park as a key partner in the development of life sciences projects, particularly in initiatives that require integrating technical, regulatory and commercial dimensions from early stages. Cases such as LOTO demonstrate that it is possible to advance in complex projects through agile methodologies, specialized support and effective links with the national and international scientific-technological system. 

This type of experience not only strengthens the innovation capacity of small, medium and large companies, but also contributes to the positioning of the country as a generator of differential solutions based on knowledge. The Science Park continues to promote projects that connect science and production, with an impact on the competitiveness of industries and, in the case of LOTO, directly on the welfare of society.