Fonterra Launches European Sourced Whey Protein NZMP Europro - Local Whey For a Global Market

21 Nov 2013 - Fonterra, a global leader in dairy nutrition, is partnering with European dairy companies to produce whey protein on the continent. New Zealand-based Fonterra, already a significant global supplier of whey protein ingredients, has invested in three partnerships in Europe: with First Milk in the United Kingdom; with Rokiškio in Lithuania; and with A-ware Food Group in the Netherlands.

Fonterra’s European sourced whey offerings will be marketed under the name NZMP europro.

The pioneering New Zealand dairy cooperative is expanding its whey protein production to Europe in response to the strong global demand for dairy, and particularly, whey protein.

Fonterra is also investing in ‘local milk pools’ as part of its global business strategy, to produce whey protein to the New Zealand quality standards.

The Dutch partnership with A-Ware Food Group includes a large investment in a state of the art Fonterra owned and operated ingredients factory in Heerenveen, which is due to produce its first whey ingredients in December 2014.

Jan-Willem van der Windt, General Manager of Fonterra Europe, says Fonterra can assist European dairy companies to create new lines of business. “There are as many as 100 cheese manufacturers in Europe who have not yet developed a whey business. Fonterra is a world leader in whey technology and marketing, and we do not compete for milk supply or milk customers in Europe, so we can be a very useful partner. The only limit to the opportunity in Europe is the number of partnerships that we can form. These joint ventures take time and trust is essential – but the demand for whey protein is enormous and growing,” says van der Windt.

Europro distinguishes NZMP’s European sourced ingredient offerings from New Zealand sourced equivalent ingredients.

The brand stands for:

- quality assurance and traceability for all European product
- guarantee of shorter lead times and flexibility for European product supply, 365 days a year
- New Zealand expertise to ensure consistent product quality standards and manufacturing processes
- customised service model and product specifications through efficient plant alignment
- long-term pricing agreements with loyal customers

For many years whey was regarded as a waste product in the cheese making process, but now it is known to deliver a broad range of health and nutrition benefits to consumers. Rich in the essential amino acids, and able to be applied to formats that allow it to be easily digestible, whey protein is now a valued ingredient in a wide variety of mainstream foods, infant formulae, sports drinks, health bars and aged-care supplements.

Commenting on whey, Van der Windt said: “Whey is the best source of dietary protein, and Fonterra’s technology and specialist knowledge about dairy science means that we can help food manufacturers expand their protein offerings and contribute significantly with expertise and products to their innovation programmes.”