Arla Foods Ingredients Moves to Bigger Facilities in Argentina

“The business has grown considerably over the last eight years, and customers visit our application centre regularly. We had simply outgrown our old facilities,” says Bjarne Schack Pedersen, managing director of Arla Foods Ingredients S. A.

2/28/2011 --- Booming South American economies mean strong growth for Arla Foods Ingredients S. A., which can now invite customers and business partners to a bright new office and application centre 25km outside Buenos Aires.

While much of the world is recovering from financial crisis, Argentina, Brazil and Chile in particular are enjoying a period of rapid economic development – bringing new business opportunities and a need for extra staff to Arla Foods Ingredients’ South American subsidiary.

More space to grow
The larger office and application centre improve the conditions for satisfying rising customer demands. “The business has grown considerably over the last eight years, and customers visit our application centre regularly. We had simply outgrown our old facilities,” says Bjarne Schack Pedersen, managing director of Arla Foods Ingredients S. A.

Today, the subsidiary has 25 employees. Six work in the application centre, equipped with advanced pilot plants for testing functional milk proteins in yogurt, ice cream, cream cheese and soup.

Opportunities with permeate
Pedersen also reports high interest in the new premium quality permeate that went into production last year, following investment in a second spray-drying tower at Arla Foods Ingredients’ whey processing plant in Argentina.

”Using our permeate, it is possible to replace the lactose and, to some extent, milk powder in ice cream and chocolate. Customers find they can reduce their costs without affecting quality,” Pedersen explains.

In addition to cutting costs, many food manufacturers are attracted by the ability of functional milk proteins to improve the quality of their products.

Denmark’s ambassador in Argentina, Henrik Bramsen Hahn, was among the guests at the official inauguration of the office and application centre on 25 February.