AHDB takes a science-based approach to communicate accurate and transparent information about the nutritional benefits of red meat and dairy. Let’s Eat Balanced is proudly built on the foundation of the Eat Well Guide, which encourages a varied, healthy and sustainable diet.

The previous burst of the campaign, in January 2024, positively shifted consumer perceptions on meat and dairy’s nutritional benefits. With a six per cent and four per cent rise, respectively in consumers agreeing that meat and dairy are a natural source of vitamin B12 (February 2024 compared with August 2023, Source: TwoEarsOneMouth Campaign Evaluation).

In a further positive result, the Autumn 2023 and New Year 2024 campaigns reached 47 million adults and generated 94 million social media impressions. Seven out of ten consumers who saw the This & That TV advert said it provided them with new information about meat and dairy, which they felt empowered them to defend their dietary choices(Source: TwoEarsOneMouth Campaign Evaluation). One consumer commented that the advert is “very entertaining, motivating, and informative. I like that it is so upbeat and positive about meat and dairy.”

People will see the This & That adverts online on YouTube, broadcast streaming services including ITVX, Channel 4, Sky Go, Disney+, and on social media – Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. A partnership with Tasty UK to create ‘Balanced Bites’ videos will encourage the Gen Z (18-25 years) audience to create healthy dishes using British red meat and dairy. The campaign will feature in stores and online at five major retailers.

Carrie McDermid, AHDB head of domestic marketing, says, “We are pleased that the January Let’s Eat Balanced campaign performed so well. It successfully highlighted the important roles our farmers play in providing high-quality produce and their dedication to environmentally friendlier practices. We are proud to be back championing British meat and dairy on behalf of our levy payers. This September campaign features a number of farmers on social media showcasing their resilience and tireless dedication to producing the food we eat.”

Silas Hedley-Lawrence, a farmer from Oxford, says, “The Let’s Eat Balanced campaign, funded by our levy, educates consumers about the importance of red meat and dairy in a balanced diet, using evidence-based research. It promotes our positive farming practices and showcases the high quality of British produce. It helps us tell our stories and reach more consumers. As a farmer, I am proud to play my part.”

For more information about AHDB’s Let’s Eat Balanced campaign, and the vibrant ‘This & That’ advertisements, please visit ahdb.org.uk/letseatbalanced

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The study, carried out by the New Zealand Exchange (NZX) and based on project data provided by Fonterra® and Levno®, also found a 62% reduction in milk reaching critical scores and a 45% drop in insurance claims – highly contributed to by the 85% lower likelihood to claim insurance for refrigeration, agitation, or power related failures – by adapting the technology.

The technology could bring about the same improvements in the UK, dairy experts claim.

The rollout of MVM was launched by Fonterra in part to drive up milk quality, along with other on-farm and transport related benefits, and the study was supported by Fonterra to help quantify the improvement in milk quality.

Fonterra is a New Zealand dairy Co-operative owned by thousands of dairy farmers. The study involved introducing monitoring telemetry to the milk vats or tanks of Fonterra’s farmer owners and comparing the data, from a subset of almost 1200 farms, to the year prior to the technology being introduced.

The most popular MVM platforms used in the study were Levno’s Trim and Full Cream solutions, with the latter providing a 24-7-365 escalated human response service. This alerts farmers to potential problems with their milk within 10 minutes of detection and continues to monitor the data until the situation is resolved.

The study data was independently analysed by New Zealand Exchange (NZX).

It revealed that Levno’s Full Cream product reduced total bacteria counts by 69% compared to storing milk without MVM technology. Coliforms were down 42% as a result of installing MVM technology and insurance claims dropped by 45% in total.

Milk temperature was on average 12% lower using Full Cream, with 19% fewer collections made above 12^oC and almost none above 14^oC.

Milk quality was also assessed against Fonterra’s Milk Quality Index (MQI) which uses multiple data points to plot the degradation of the milk.

The measure is used to plan logistics and downstream processing of the milk, and to drive efficiencies in collection.

The study found that by implementing Levno’s Full Cream, farms achieved 22% fewer medium MQI scores, 26% fewer high MQI scores, and 62% fewer critical MQI scores.

According to NZX, the average value of ‘milk saved’ as a result of implementing MVM technology equated to NZD$12,863 per farm.

The objective of the study was to confirm that the introduction of MVM, technology, and Levno’s Full Cream solution, would drive material and sustainable improvements in milk quality.

Results found that after analysing the data provided, it is clear that the introduction of MVM technology improved the on-farm milk storage process and reduced the risk of degraded milk being supplied to Fonterra.

Multiple measures helped to corroborate this outcome – from the MQI measure during storage, milk temperatures at the time of collection, bacteria and coliform results, and the number of insurance claims by farmers. Importantly, there was also a significant reduction in the upper quartile of those measures with fewer outliers.

Additionally, the Full Cream solution further improves the quality of milk stored on farm and reduces the amount that may require disposal due to poor storage practices. The advance in technology has changed the way on-farm raw milk is monitored, and therefore protected.

The end result is better quality milk with significantly fewer instances of milk being registered as ‘critical’ on Fonterra’s MQI score.

James McCreery, national planning & dispatch manager at Fonterra, said: “We are providing tools to our farmer owners to continue to help them be the best dairy farmers in the world, and Levno is a tool for them to ensure they are supplying the best quality milk possible.”

He added one of the greatest strengths of Fonterra’s partnership with Levno has been the people.

“They brought in a lot of experience working with New Zealand farmers,” James said.

“They also have got the 24/7 support team. The people at Levno make a big difference.”

Matt Lynch, Levno’s country manager for UK and Ireland, said the study demonstrated how Full Cream brought major financial benefits to Fonterra’s farm suppliers.

For example, Levno’s Full Cream has saved almost 2.3 million litres across Fonterra farms during the latest 2023-24 milking season, averaging 6,800 litres per farm.

He said: “Full Cream helped the farmers who took part in the study produce higher quality milk and avoid the significant revenue loss associated with milk degradation and wastage.

“It also helped them avoid costly incidents where milk was not fit for collection and where an insurance claim was required for the loss. With each claim attracting an average excess of $500, that’s a huge saving.

“With dairy farmers in the UK facing a reduction in support payments, technologies like MVM offer new ways to bring efficiencies to dairy enterprises which will help drive the long-term sustainability of the industry.

“The ability to monitor milk quality in real time and resolve issues quickly means less degradation, less wastage and ultimately, a better return for producers.”

To read the full detail and explanation of findings click here.

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The Dairy Industries Expo is gearing up to bring together processing machinery and services, packaging machines and materials, turnkey suppliers, quality control and assurance, ingredients and logistics for the most comprehensive international dairy processing show all under one roof. Speakers ranging from the Society of Dairy Technology to cheese makers will be discussing the business at the seminars for the two days.

Taking place at the Harrogate Convention Centre, Harrogate, visitors and exhibitors from across the world can look forward to this new event targeting the entire dairy processing and manufacturing industry. It will provide a powerful platform for meeting new customers and strengthening relationships with current clients. Visitors will experience the latest in dairy innovations and equipment brought to them by the exhibitors and workshops/seminars.

Exhibitors and visitors will have the opportunity to meet with key buyers and suppliers from across the world and from every link of the value chain. They will get the best market insights and learn about the newest trends from industry experts and thought leaders. And, they’ll discover a vast array of new products and cutting-edge innovations and technologies, all in one place.

Find a complete list of the latest exhibitors and more information on their products and services online here.

For daily updates: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dairy-industries-expo/

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This year, Yili Group has launched net-zero carbon products and factories, issued the Roadmap to a Net-Zero Carbon Future, and set concrete targets for 2030, 2040 and 2050. Yili is one of the global dairy top five companies and Asia’s dairy company. It now owns 15 R&D and innovation centres and 74 productions bases globally. Its products are on the market in more than 60 countries and regions.

Dr. Zhanyou Yun is responsible for support and management of technical innovation, including managing technical innovation compliance and intellectual property rights, building the ecosystem for technical innovation at home and abroad, and introducing and communicating Yili’s innovation outcomes. Meanwhile, he also serves as the vice president of the Probiotics Branch of the Chinese Institute of Food Science and Technology and as the expert for the IDF China National Committee.

He notes, “Our increasingly health-conscious consumers are calling for nutritional, customised and functional dairy products. As a consumer-centric, innovation-driven company, Yili is exploring the value of dairy products and seeking to launch health products to meet the full-lifecycle, all-scenario needs among all types of consumers.

“Climate change has brought about a significant impact on mankind and the world’s ecosystems. As a result, consumers look for products that both meet their nutritional and health needs and impose no harm upon the environment. Embracing the tide of sustainable development across the globe, we aim to advocate greener, healthier and more sustainable lifestyles.”

Innovation is the key to Yili’s growth, according to Dr Yun. “The dairy industry features a long industrial chain. In keeping with our philosophy of ‘No innovation, no future.’ we have built an innovation system covering the entire industrial chain, in a bid to establish a community for innovation that integrally incorporates all of our upstream, midstream and downstream partners.”

The supply chain

Upstream, Yili has developed a series of natural, functional raw milk that is rich in selenium, DHA or other elements through nutrition modulation technology and innovative feeding methods, which may help with methane emission control. At the midstream, Yili applies milk fat catalysed by enzymes to flavour in order to reduce fat in its products.

The group has also launched an intelligent platform on sweet-tasting design, creating tailored solutions for sugar reduction in dairy products. It employs digitalised, intelligent technologies to build green, smart factories with higher production and operational efficiency as well.

Downstream, Yili uses big data tools to capture and study market demands, so as to innovate and upgrade products on a constant basis. “With these efforts, we are able to provide our consumers with more nutritional, healthy products and better experiences,” Dr Yun says.

When manufacturing, the production of high-quality, sustainable products essentially indicates the optimisation of natural and human resources, he points out. “When pursuing sustainability, dairy companies are often challenged by the transition towards low-carbon operations. But I’d like to deem the challenge as an opportunity for growth. Green, low-carbon, sustainable operation and development can not only ease burdens imposed by climate change but also drive down costs and create economic value for the farming and dairy partners, thereby fostering their long-term competitiveness.”

In 2022, Yili’s Satine A2β-Casein Organic Pure Milk became the first net-zero carbon milk in China. With emissions reduced by applying the integration of planting and breeding on pastures, using clean energy for manufacturing, employing recyclable packages, and purchasing carbon credits, Yili makes up for the emissions from milk production, thus realising “net-zero”. Its sustainability aspect became a differentiating factor and made the product a great success in the market, Dr. Yun says.

Research and development are also key for dairy manufacturing, he notes. “Dairy manufacturers must improve their R&D capabilities and enhance their strength through innovation. We’re committed to the ‘consumer-centric’ and ‘no innovation, no future’ philosophies. Guided by these, we have developed innovative products tailored to consumers’ demands and received positive feedback, resulting in a large market share and widespread recognition. For example, through a decade of experiments, we discovered and applied a series of probiotic strains such as bifidobacterium lactis BL-99, which can promote digestion, regulate intestinal flora and enhance immunity.

“In addition, manufacturers should pursue industrial chain-wide, cross-disciplinary collaborations in order to make breakthroughs in fundamental research and translate innovative outcomes. In our case, Yili has teamed up with institutions including Wageningen University in the Netherlands,the University of Cambridge in the UK and Lincoln University in New Zealand via our innovation centres across the globe. We also pursue stronger cooperation throughout the industrial chain.”

Further proof of the group’s innovation is in the opening of integrated facilities, he says. “Four projects of Yili’s Future Intelligence and Healthy Valley are coming into operation in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, including a liquid milk production base, a milk powder production base, the Chilechuan Ecological Smart Farm, and the Yili Intelligent Manufacturing Experience Center. The Valley comprises a roughly 38-square-kilometer core area. It is a large complex integrating industry, urban life, and tourism, with the dairy industry as its core. It is not only establishing green, smart production bases, but also the development of dairy-related enterprise clusters and the integration of primary, secondary and tertiary industries. We look forward to cooperating with our fellow industry colleagues in the future.”

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Herzgut is the last independent dairy company in Thuringia state, and at more than 100 years old, one of the most traditional dairies in Germany. Every year the dairy processes about 50 million kilograms of milk, butter, cheese and other dairy products for food retail.

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Frederik Wellendorph, vice president for the liquid food business unit at Tetra Pak says, “The food and beverage sector will undergo an enormous transformation over the next decade, with the dairy industry feeling this most acutely. Clearly, many challenges lie ahead – but there are plenty of opportunities for manufacturers too. The key to success in the new landscape will be in embracing flexibility and proactively responding to the wave of disruptive changes.”

Dr Christian Koch of Lusem adds, “The global dairy industry is at the very heart of the global food transformation, and the contours of this transition are already starting to take shape. This project, in used established methodologies to develop scenarios for the dairy industry in 2030 and related food processing and distribution sectors. The scenarios are as different from each other as possible, within the limits of plausibility and credibility. Thus all should be considered as future plausible outcomes.”

The study, “Global trends affecting dairy strategies,” follows an 18-month research project by Lusem, supported by Tetra Pak, to examine a shifting dairy landscape and forecast what the dairy industry will look like in 2030. Analysing six key global markets, including the UK, US, China, India, Nigeria and Brazil, the study outlines four plausible scenarios – Dairy Evolution, Green Dairy, New Fusion, and Brave New Food – each demonstrating the varying interplay of socio-environmental forces and technological transition, and with very different outcomes.

Dairy Evolution is the scenario characterised by no big surprises where the dairy industry would continue to follow current trends with smaller disruptions. Green Dairy is marked by strong socio-environmental forces, such as consumer demands and policy restrictions but little technological transition, that drive the dairy industry to invest heavily to reduce carbon footprint. New Fusion dominated by innovative technologies and processes, but weak socio-environmental forces, would significantly impact the industry. The final scenario, Brave New Food, is the scenario combining  strong socio-environmental forces and highly innovative technologies, which together would lead to a complete transformation.

The four scenarios present a myriad of implications that could change the business environment. Tetra Pak has already started collaborating with start-ups and academia to accelerate understanding of the performance of different proteins under different processing conditions.

The four plausible scenarios of the study were arrived at by using methodology based on the Oxford Scenario Planning Approach, identifying both predetermined factors, such as demographic shifts and climate change, and potential disruptions from critical uncertainties such as technological transformation and socio-environmental forces.​

For the full summary please visit:

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As the co-operative is regional, it offers stability of supply. “The milk comes from our farmers between Watzmann and Zugspitze, it is processed at our only production site in Piding and our main market is Bavaria,” sums up managing director Bernhard Pointner.

The German Federal Minister of Agriculture Julia Klöckner has declared the agriculture and food industry to be ‘systemically important’. This is how Pointner, describes the current focus: “In times of crisis, we put all our strength into collecting the milk from our 1,700 farmers, processing and delivering it to the dairy and thus supplying the population with the staple food to make our contribution.”

All processes along the supply chain, from milk collection, production and finally the delivery runs are smooth for the dairy. However, the increased demand, especially for milk and butter, sometimes leads to bottlenecks in retail. The dairy has been able to react to this in part with extended shifts, and otherwise order quantities are currently being reduced. In the disposition, care is taken to ensure that all customers are served according to the quantities ordered so far.

“The corona crisis clearly shows us, how vulnerable our globally networked economy is today,” says the managing director.

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For example, we received a letter from the British Prime Minister himself this morning, along with a helpful brochure on what we should do during this time. Hint: it’s not have big barbecues and invite the friends and relatives over. I also cast doubt on whether he signed it himself but it’s a good effort, especially seeing as he’s been ill.

The Queen has also been in touch, but over the television. She’s looking well. It does cheer you up when the leaders of the country you live in take a bit of notice and act like they care. I did find a bit alarming the idea that the ExCeL exhibition centre, where I have spent many a happy day trotting around and sampling dairy goodies, is now the Nightingale NHS hospital, a 4,000-bed facility. However, I am quite amazed that they put it together in nine days. The speed at which things can be done once we put our minds to it is incredible and it does help. We humans can be very innovative in a pinch.

A lot of the dairy folks have been busy these last few weeks. On the equipment side, several have received letters telling them they’re essential suppliers to the trade. One processor up north in the UK says his number of doorstep customers has gone up by 1,000 to 7,000. An email exchange with a cheese maker reveals that he’s still headed off to work to help feed the nation, and his spouse is making him do lots of house-based chores on the weekends when he’s indoors. I guess moving a 5,000-litre cheese vat or two home is not an option.

Fair enough. We stay at home and have planted the potatoes at the allotment. We are also enjoying watching Jamie Oliver, the chef, get more haggard on his show every day, as the grim reality of being at home all the time with five young children sets in. Poor fella.

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Dr. Marin Bozic, an assistant professor in dairy foods marketing economics in the Department of Applied Economics at the University of Minnesota, recently addressed the current US dairy situation during a webinar, hosted by the I-29 Moo University and Minnesota Milk.

Bozic noted first that nobody really saw this ‘black swan’ event coming, and back in late January, he himself gave a talk in which he predicted that 2020 was going to be a good year for dairy. “Two months later, and the world is unrecognisable. The streets are empty in my neighbourhood, where I sit and talk to you all from my home office,” he said.

The Dow Jones Index whipsawed up and down this week and last, recording its biggest drop and rallies for the past 87 years. Retail sales for dairy and other products have increased by 33.6% versus a year ago, and fluid milk sales have gone up in the San Francisco area alone by 42.8%.

Meanwhile, extended shelf life milk saw an uptick of 70.3% by volume, and this number is higher in areas of greater Covid-19 impact, Dr Bozic noted. Shelf stable milk in New York, one of the states with the highest number of cases, saw its shelf stable milk sales increase by 142%. Powdered milk has gone up by 366.8%, butter is up by 85.2%.

This is all food for home consumption. Food service is down almost 100% globally. “The world has shut down,” Dr Bozic commented. Around 30% of milk solids are consumed in food service. Meanwhile, deliveries have seen an uptick, with pizza cheese increasing. However, “more dairy at home won’t compensate for what we lost in restaurants,” he stated.

The US market, like the EU, has asked the US Department of Agriculture for intervention purchases. The government is considering it and Bozic predicted that the market is likely to see it.

He discussed hedging tools such as the Dairy Margin Coverage in the US, and said there is interest in reopening it for 2020. A fair amount of the commodities that were set to go into food service need to be repackaged for the consumer market, but the issue here is that dairy will be competing with the other commodities in the market for funding from the government to do this.

He said the way going forward for dairy farmers and processors in the US is about loss mitigation rather than profit or even breaking even, through the third quarter of 2021. In the short term, he noted, “There’s going to be an April like you’ve never seen it before, and I suspect it’s going to get worse before it gets better. There is a cost to reopening the economy, and it’s a terrible debate to have – how much is saving a life worth if 30% of the population is unemployed?”

Overall, Dr Bozic said he thought it foolish and dangerous to be confident this event will blow over by the summer. Past events have precipitated new eras and this virus could be a trigger to a new world regime rather than an isolated event, he noted. “It might fast forward us to a new world.

“It will also add uncertainty over a longer time. There will be a longer tail with this and people will worry, and companies will worry more about the length of the supply chain.”

To listen to Dr Bozic’s webinar in full, click here.

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Substantial growth was achieved from an expanding portfolio of food ingredients with a number of successful new product launches and its acquisition of Roil Foods. Earnings from milk sales were steady year on year.

Meadow Foods invested £6.8m in its facilities to improve efficiency and increase capacity and the company has a similar plan for the current financial year, with further capital expenditure of £8.0m having been committed for the year ending 31 March 2020.

Mark Chantler, CEO of Meadow Foods, said: “These are a positive set of results, achieved in a challenging marketplace. Our growth is primarily a result of an expanded product portfolio, targeted acquisitions and improved efficiencies. This strategy for growth will continue and is reflected in our recent acquisition of Nimbus Foods, which has allowed us to further diversify our portfolio and cement our position as a leading supplier of value added ingredients.”

Meadow Foods operates from four BRC AA accredited sites in Chester, Peterborough, Holme-on-Spalding Moor and Dolgellau where it manufactures value added ingredients 7 days a week for UK food manufacturers. The company handles in excess of 550 million litres of milk each year direct from its network of dedicated milk producers across the UK.

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In his role, Jonathan will be responsible for the overall sales operation within the Philippines market in key business areas: industry, commercial business services, domestic business services, business development, and aftermarket service sales. He will report to Chee Khuan Leong, area managing director, South Asia, Grundfos.

Jonathan brings with him more than 12 years of professional experience from different positions and companies in the Philippines and the Asia Pacific region. He started his career in Otis Elevator Company, serving as a market analyst and e-logistics project manager in Singapore and China, before being appointed the country manager for service sales in the Philippines in 2012. Most recently, Jonathan was with the Hilti Group, serving as the marketing and operations director for Hilti Philippines since 2017 and the area sales manager for Singapore since 2015.

Chee Khuan Leong said: “I am looking forward to working with Jonathan to not only maintain our strong position in the Philippines pump market, but also to drive greater growth for the business amid the fast-paced urbanisation and industrialisation the country is experiencing. Jonathan’s extensive leadership experience across his diverse roles and understanding of the Philippines market are a strong asset for Grundfos in the region and will be instrumental in strengthening our presence in the future.”

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This appointment represents a significant business opportunity for both organisations and provides UK customers with a dedicated channel for GEA pumps, valves and homogenisers across a broad range of industries including; dairy, food and beverage, as well as pharmaceutical and chemical.

Moody Direct has been providing the process industry with spare parts, service and maintenance, new equipment, full turnkey projects and heat exchanger testing for more than 40 years.

Barry Dumble, managing director of GEA UK said: “The appointment of Moody Direct as one of GEA’s authorised distributors for our pumps, valves and homogenisers here in the UK is a fantastic opportunity for both of us. The appointment will increase our coverage in the UK market, offering customers spare parts and components for our pumps, valves and homogenisers. I’m looking forward to working with Moody Direct on this new journey.”

Ken Wild, director of Moody Direct Ltd said, “We are delighted to be able to announce this official appointment. We have worked with GEA for many years and this recognises the long-established business relationship we’ve developed and the future potential we can achieve together.”

The agreement enables Moody Direct to officially supply GEA spare parts and components for GEA pumps, valves, and homogenisers. As well as this, they can also offer installation, commissioning, servicing and maintenance support on GEA Homogenisation (Niro Soavi), Valves (Tuchenhagen) and Pumps (Hilge) process equipment categories.

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There were six prizes awarded in total. The products and companies honoured ranged from an innovative new line of probiotic yogurts, to a plant-based beverage aimed at Asia’s increasing coffee-drinking consumers, through to a high-tech packaging solution that promotes essential food safety in the infant nutrition segment.

Best Dairy Ingredient Innovation of the Year
Chr Hansen for it Sweety Y-1, a naturally sweeter dairy culture, developed with the participation of an in-house team of experts at Chr. Hansen’s research laboratories in Denmark.

Using groundbreaking technology they were able to produce a bio-culture that converts sugar differently to traditional processes, resulting in a sweeter-tasting yogurt. This means that less sugar needs to be added to counterbalance yogurt’s naturally sour flavour, and Chr. Hansen’s customers can benefit from a healthier end product.

Most Welcomed Packaging Solution of the Year
United Caps for it 127 SAFE-TE tamper-evident closure specially designed for the needs of the Asian infant nutrition market. The 127 SAFE-TE closure increases baby food safety and convenience with an impenetrable security feature which means it cannot be opened and resealed. In this way, it addresses a key concern of customers in Asia.

Popular Asia-Pacific Plant Based Drink of the Year
Sweden-based Oatly for its Barista Edition foamable oatmilk drink, which was specially developed so that it can be used as a dairy alternative when making milky drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos.

Best Yogurt Innovation of the Year
Local dairy giant Yili for its Yili Yixiao Fermented Milk. This influential drink series was first developed by Yili experts at their main innovation centre in Shanghai, and centres around a particular species of probiotic named Bifidobacterium lactis (B. lactis).

The resulting strain that Yili now uses in its Yixiao series, Bifidobacterium strain BL-99, has shown promise in treating a range of digestion-related conditions, from intestinal infections to irritable bowel syndrome, according to the company.

Most Sustainable & Innovative Rigid Packaging Solution of the Year
PolyOne for its ColorMatrix Lactra light-blocking additive. This additive can be used during the manufacturing process for PET bottles, reducing the breakdown of dairy products whilst they are exposed to light, making them stay fresher and giving them a longer shelf-life.

Most Impactful Brand of the Year
Theland for Milk New Zealand. The Chinese-owned dairy farm group hit the headlines after it secured a trading agreement with online retailer Alibaba to market its fresh milk direct to Chinese consumers. The deal has been a great success.

Through its network of farms in New Zealand and the unique advantages of grass farming, natural grazing and natural milk production, Theland has also been able to produce its 4.0 Protein Pure Milk product, which has a higher than normal nutrition profile.

Another of Milk New Zealand’s breakthrough achievements has been to reduce farm-to-retailer shipping times. Thanks to an agreement with Shanghai Customs and Changning District Government, the company has been able to deliver products to the mainland in less than 72 hours, setting a new benchmark standard.

Meanwhile, this year’s DairyAP summit featured a wide range of speakers and experts from the world of dairy in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, who came together to discuss the latest trends, regulations and hot topics affecting the market. The first day of the event focused on “Safety and Farm Management”, whilst the second day is scheduled to concentrate on “Innovations in products and Marketing”.

The presentations at the summit include those by highly-regarded professionals from many of the major dairy organisations, retailers and businesses in the world and the APAC region such as Fonterra, Yili, Lazada, Amul Dairy, Nestle, Guangzhou Society of Agronomy, Vietnam Dairy Association and Thailand’s Department of Livestock Development.

To learn more about 6th DairyAP 2019, and discover the full list of participants and speakers featured at the event, please visit the official website here.

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The Campbeltown Creamery was put up for sale in April 2018 when First Milk announced that it was not core to its business strategy for the future. Despite significant effort over the last 18 months, it has not been possible to conclude the sale of the Campbeltown Creamery.

Even the local Kintyre farmers launched a plan to take over the creamery, however, despite considerable work to find a way to take the business forward, they were not been able to find a financially viable long-term business plan for the creamery.

Shelagh Hancock, chief executive First Milk said: “We are disappointed that it has not been possible to conclude a sale of Campbeltown Creamery. We fully appreciate that this decision has significant consequences for colleagues at the Creamery and the local community, but it is important that we act in the best interest of the wider business and our farmer members and continue with the solid progress we have made in strengthening and developing First Milk. We regret the impact this decision will have on our colleagues and are committed to treating those affected fairly and with consideration during this difficult time.

“Throughout the last 18 months we have been in regular dialogue with our local members on Kintyre about the future of the site. Nothing will change in respect to their co-operative membership of First Milk, and we will continue to collect and pay for their milk on the same basis as before going forward.”

James Barbour, chairman of the Kintyre steering group, said: “It was the right thing to investigate all avenues to see if we could keep the creamery open in Kintyre. There was widespread enthusiasm from the local farmers to try to secure the future of the site and genuine support from First Milk, the Scottish Government and the local community, along with a successful crowd-funding campaign. Despite all of this we were not able to find a financially viable long-term solution for the creamery. I would like to thank everyone who has supported us through this period.”

John Smith, NFUS Dairy chairman and local Kintyre dairy farmer, said: “My heart goes out to all the staff that work at the creamery and it is regrettable that the Mull of Kintyre brand that we have passionately supported will now no longer be available. That is due to the harsh, economic reality of processing milk in an incredibly tough dairy industry that has witnessed so many casualties at both farm and processing level in recent times.

“Whilst this is very disappointing news, it is reassuring that all of the local farmers are members of First Milk and will continue to benefit from being part of a national co-operative with an evergreen contract and continuing to have their milk collected in the future.”

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The company will invest approximately €50 million in the site over the next two to three years to increase capacity as it becomes the key strategic manufacturing hub for the company in MENA. Arla will also create more than 100 direct jobs over the next two to three years in the local market. The opening follows Arla’s acquisition of Mondeléz International’s processed cheese business in the region in May 2019, which also gave it full ownership of the production site.

The majority of Arla’s products sold in the region will now be produced locally at the site in Manama, which will enable the company to further expand its branded cheese production and improve overall efficiency in its supply chain. By 2025, Arla expects to increase annual production in Bahrain to more than 100,000 tons under its Puck, Arla, Dano, Kraft and Private Label brands while creating new jobs in the process.

By moving the production of processed cheese and sterilised cream to this new site, Arla expects to improve the shelf-life of products by up to six weeks as transport and distribution are reduced significantly. Product categories produced at the site will be sold primarily in the Middle East as well as US, West Africa and Southeast Asia.

His Excellency Zayed Rashid Alzayani, Minister of Industry, Commerce & Tourism said, “We are delighted to welcome Arla to be part of Bahrain’s manufacturing landscape. As a vital member of “Team Bahrain”, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce & Tourism shall continue to play its role in the attraction of FDI, facilitation of doing business and supporting growth in line with our economic diversification and expansion plans.”

Khalid Humaidan, chief executive, Bahrain EDB said: “Arla is the latest in a long line of international manufacturing companies to make Bahrain a home for their regional operations. Today’s inauguration of Arla’s largest facility outside Europe is testament to Bahrain’s position as a leading destination for manufacturing companies looking to access the region’s $1.5 trillion market. The Kingdom offers investors a number of competitive advantages, including the availability of a highly skilled local work force and highly competitive operating costs.

“Arla is a great addition to our manufacturing sector, one of the pillars of the Kingdom’s economy, where manufacturing now accounts for over 14% of Bahrain’s GDP, the second largest non-oil sector. Arla’s investment will create a number of jobs in the local market and will play a key role in supporting our diversification efforts, in line with Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030.”

Arla Foods CEO Peder Tuborgh said: “The Middle East and North Africa is a priority market for us and the inauguration of this production site in the Kingdom of Bahrain consolidates our commitment to the region. Our decision to make Bahrain our key manufacturing hub for the MENA region demonstrates our confidence in the Kingdom’s rapidly-growing manufacturing sector and alignment with the nation’s Vision 2030 economic diversification plans.

“Dairy is an integral part of a healthy diet and this new facility will enable us to increase production and step change our innovation speed to meet increasing consumer demand. We are confident that Bahrain will be instrumental to the success of Arla’s growth plans and we are grateful to our local partners and the government whose unwavering support and dedication have made today possible.”

Since 2010, Arla has more than doubled its sales organically across the MENA region, which is the company’s largest commercial area outside Europe, through strong positions in cheese under the Puck brand, butter and spreads under the Lurpak brand as well as milk powder and UHT milk under the Dano and Arla brands.

In 2018, Arla’s retail and foodservice revenue in the MENA region reached €560 million.

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In 1979, Errico Auricchio left Italy with his wife and young children to craft specialty cheeses with the same artisan methods his family had used for 100 years.

“The idea was to start a cheese company in America, find a good manager and go back to Italy,” Auricchio said.

A manager was never found, so Auricchio stayed in the United States to become the manager, president and CEO of BelGioioso Cheese Inc.

Over four decades, Auricchio has built a cheese company with more than 700 employees making more than 30 varieties of specialty cheeses, for America, and export to 45 countries.

These and other accomplishments have made BelGioioso the 2019 Tom Camerlo Exporter of the Year. The award is presented annually by Dairy Foods magazine and sponsored by the US Dairy Export Council in honor of Camerlo, a former USDEC chairman.

The Dairy Foods Exporter of the Year must be a US dairy supplier that:

• Exemplifies leadership in advancing US dairy exports.
• Demonstrates a commitment to export market development.
• Makes exports an integral part of its overall growth strategy.

In a letter to Auricchio, Dairy Foods magazine said it chose BelGioioso as its 2019 honoree because:

• The company has grown its export activities substantially since the mid-1990s, now exporting to 45 countries.
• BelGioioso’s strategic partnership with Tropical Foods helps it target key markets, including the Middle East/North Africa.
• The company has helped USDEC design its cheese activities to meet the needs of specialty US cheesemakers, encouraging more of them to consider exports.
• BelGioioso has led efforts to preserve the right to use common cheese names around the world with Auricchio serving as chairman of the Consortium for Common Food Names.
• The company has found a way to export fresh mozzarella as its No. 1 product at a time when many foreign buyers insist on longer-shelf-life products.

Exporting with patience 

BelGioioso’s relationship with Miami-based Tropical Foods as its distributor opened up global opportunities, and exports now comprise about 6% of BelGioioso’s sales.

“The goal is definitely to increase that percentage,” said Auricchio. “But it takes a long-term investment. You don’t want to go too fast. The consumer should know your brand, know your quality. You need to establish a relationship with a good distributor. You don’t want to do this overnight.”

In China, cheese has not been part of the traditional diet but Chinese consumers are discovering and falling in love with it. The potential upside is huge.

An ongoing trade war featuring retaliatory tariffs between the US and Chinese governments has made exporting cheese to China far more expensive for US suppliers.

When Costco opened its first China store in August, BelGioioso provolone was on display, selling out in one day, thanks in part to a relationship brokered by USDEC with Costco.

Protecting common cheese names 

In his role as chairman of the Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN), Auricchio works closely with CCFN executive director and USDEC senior vice president Jaime Castaneda to protect cheese and other food names in the public domain.

For years, the European Union has moved to give geographical indications (GIs) to common cheese names like provolone, parmesan, mozzarella and feta.

Auricchio and the CCFN support the proper use of GIs for specialised foods from particular regions, for example, Mozzarella di Bufala Campana, but oppose any attempts that would force farmers and food producers outside of Europe to rebrand familiar foods with unfamiliar names.

The new agreement brokered by CCFN provides greater support for robust protection in the United States and around the world for the name Mozzarella di Bufala Campana. The agreement protects Mozzarella di Bufala Campana as a product originating from parts of Italy but establishes the free use of the generic term “mozzarella.” The deal is a win-win, says Auricchio, because the agreement provides clarity while reducing expensive court battles, enabling cheesemakers to get on with the business of making cheese.

Read Errico Auricchio’s full story here

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The D4 range valves are well proven in processes across the beverage, brewery, food, dairy, personal care, and other sanitary applications around the world. They offer reliable separation of dissimilar products during continuous processing, with assured separation of clean-in-place (CIP) fluids. The D4PMO is based on the design of the core D4 mix proof range with additional features to meet PMO standards, such as maintaining zero pressure within the vent cavity and the impingement of CIP fluid during seat lift operation.

To manage seat lift detection, the D4PMO valve includes the advanced CU4plus contvarol unit as standard. This unit has an innovative fully integrated position and seat lift detection with internal sensors, which eliminates external wiring to avoid damage during handling or washdown. This smart control unit, combined with the clever design of the valve unit, make the overall D4PMO solution ideal to meet the high integrity demands of the US dairy market.

The D4PMO valve offers dairy businesses a budget-friendly solution to provide reliable processing, excellent cleanability and ease of maintenance. It has a fully balanced design for flexible flow direction without slamming and integrated flow channels for flushing the upper balancer during seat lift movement without the need for full actuation or additional external piping.

Chris Sinutko, global product manager – valves, food & beverage, SPX Flow, said: “I am pleased with the success we have seen with the core D4 Series valves and this is an exciting new addition to the range. It offers dairies excellent return on investment with all of the features required for ultra-safe operation included within the standard model. The valve design combined with the functionality of our advanced control unit make it a premium valve of choice for the industry.”

For ease of installation and service, the valve is light weight and uses a common seal kit across multiple size ranges. It is manufactured in the USA, at the SPX Flow facility in Delavan, Wisconsin, US.

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The company has fine-tuned its manufacturing process allowing it to dry blends of milk and live cultures and keep the cultures alive throughout the process and into the finished powder.

The resulting range of premium fermented powders (yogurt, quark powder and fermented milk powders) allows new developments to deliver the same live cultures and nutrition as traditional live culture products but without some of the hurdles of fresh yogurt. They are also naturally adapted to regions where harsh climate conditions might hinder milk production or pose a challenge when it comes to preserving fresh milk or refrigerated products.

“With our Epilac fermented powders, we can support manufacturers in the development of products designed to cater to consumers who are always pressed for time and looking for convenient, “on-the-go” snack options that are both healthy and indulgent,” said Mathieu Lucot, marketing manager at Epi Ingredients.

“And this new Kosher certification opens up new markets for our yogurt and fermented powders, notably in the US and some European countries.”

After the launch of a first concept, SoFlexi, featuring its yogurt powder in 2017, Epi Ingredients is working with its fermented powders again and is currently putting the finishing touches on a new revolutionary concept which will be unveiled later this year at Food Ingredients Europe and takes on a new dimension in light of the recent Kosher certification.

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DV Nutrition is a joint venture between DOC Kaas (part of DMK Group) and Volac and has been producing whey protein and lactose-based ingredients since 2004.

The announcement comes as both partners wish to develop their businesses in different directions. Separation of activities will enable clear and focused strategies for the future to be implemented for both Volac and DMK Group, aimed at delivering the best interests of their respective businesses, stakeholders and shareholders.

DMK has defined clear roles for its business as defined in its “Vision 2030” which positions its business areas for the future. As part of the realignment, the DMK Group will focus on value creation and take a very market-oriented approach. DMK intends to invest in growth areas in the years to come including infrastructure, M&A activity, R&D partnerships, marketing, sales and distribution.

As of January 1st 2020, the DMK Group is expected to acquire all of the shares in the joint venture which will then be located in the business unit ‘Industry’ within the DMK Group. It will continue to operate from the existing site at Hoogeveen in the Netherlands.

As part of the joint venture, Volac was responsible for the sales and marketing of all products manufactured by DV Nutrition. Volac will continue to supply protein products sourced from the DV Nutrition factory to its sport and active nutrition customers for the foreseeable future after which new customer supply arrangements will have been put in place by Volac. The intention is that products manufactured by DV Nutrition will be supplied directly to customers in the future by the DMK Group.

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