Food producers from around the world can be supplied from here with customised, added-value ingredients for their own productions.
The new centre will employ 30 technologists working within functional proteins from milk and whey extracted during Arla’s cheese production.
If, for instance, an Argentinean yogurt needs to be creamier, if an American ice cream needs a softer consistency or if the fat content of a cheese in the Middle East needs to be reduced without its flavour being compromised, the producer will often approach Arla Foods Ingredients for a solution based on whey or milk proteins.
“Siting our creative expertise under one roof is a huge advantage because knowledge, skill and state-of-the-art equipment is accessible to everyone,” said Arla Foods Ingredients executive group director, Jais Valeur. ”It opens up a range of new opportunities for developing concepts for even more markets.”
Built at a cost of DKK 20m, the application centre covers 2,000sq m and is an ultra-modern research and development facility. Besides the lab’s 30 full-time technologists, the application centre draws on a further 40 sales people who develop and sell ingredients solutions across the world.
“Our people have found that functional proteins from milk or whey can replace casein in salami, egg white in muffins and make fruit drinks usable in diets and weight control,” said Valeur. “Regardless of the food product, producers often decide to use our milk proteins because they know that they’re getting a functional ingredient that in many cases is more natural and cheaper than other alternatives.
“The new centre also allows food producers with special requirements to send a couple of people in to use the equipment and work alongside Arla Foods Ingredients’ recognised experts in order to develop the desired solution. This will attract unique know-how and expertise from across the world, and therefore strengthen our relations with customers.”
He emphasised that, despite the financial crisis, Arla Foods Ingredients is maintaining its strategic target of doubling sales of functional milk proteins before 2013.
Source: Arla Foods
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