Arla Foods Ingredients and Brenntag take partnership to Southeast Asia

Arla Foods Ingredients and Brenntag Group have extended their distribution partnership to Southeast Asia. Brenntag will distribute Arla Foods Ingredients’ protein portfolio in Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia, covering health foods, infant nutrition, sports nutrition, and functionality solutions for dairy and bakery.

The new deal follows an extensive distribution agreement from 2023 between Arla Foods Ingredients and Zhongbai Xingye Food Technology (Beijing), a Brenntag group company, to serve the Chinese market.

The partners see significant market potential in Southeast Asia. Last year, research from the US Dairy Export Council suggested that increasing prosperity in the region drives demand for F&B products containing high-quality protein. The council says this demand is not currently being fully met.

Alexander Leufgen, head of Asia-Pacific at Arla Foods Ingredients, says: “Demand for high-quality whey and dairy ingredients is growing across Southeast Asia, especially in key segments like active nutrition and food functionality.”

“Our goal is to improve and extend our offering to regional manufacturers. By building on our existing arrangement with Brenntag, we’ll be able to better tailor our products and services to meet their needs.”

Kenneth Keh, regional president for Nutrition Asia Pacific at Brenntag Specialties, adds: “Our partnership with Arla Foods Ingredients in China has been immensely successful, and we are excited to expand it into Southeast Asia.”

“With our combined strength, we are confident that we can meet the demand for high-quality, innovative nutritional products in the growing markets of Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam.”

Brenntag presented new hybrid and plant-based protein concepts at IFFA 2025 in Frankfurt, Germany, this month.