New Zealand infant nutrition exporter Blue River Dairy has revealed plans to double sales next year through a new production line.
With the addition of the new canning line, the firm – which produces infant formula using cow, goat and sheep milk – is targeting production of 15 million cans in 2019.
The Invercargill-based business has doubled its permanent staff in the past 12 months, going from about 50 to about 105. At least 20 more employees will be required when the new canning line opens.
Blue River Dairy general manager Robert Boekhout said: “The past three years have seen us springboard from producing and exporting 400,000 cans of infant formula in 2016, to 2.5 million cans in 2017, to being on course to reach our 2018 target of 7.5 million cans.”
In 2017, Blue River Dairy was confirmed as one of New Zealand’s fastest growing businesses, coming in tenth on the Deloitte Fast 50 index with revenue growth of 445%.
Boekhout added that the company has recognised an opportunity for significant growth by expanding into producing cow, and goat milk nutritional formulas.
He said: “We believe we are the only infant nutrition plant in the world manufacturing three species products. We are very good at developing the market and delivering high quality, niche products into that market – and have steadily grown as a world leader in sheep milk products.”
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