Australian-first Plant To Manufacture High-value Dairy Ingredient Opens In Southwest Victoria

Australian-First Plant to Manufacture High-Value Dairy Ingredient Opens in Southwest Victoria


For immediate release - Today marks the official opening in Southwest Victoria of a new production facility that will manufacture a unique and innovative ingredient new to the Australian dairy portfolio.

Great Ocean Ingredients is a 50:50 joint venture between Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Company Holdings Limited (WCB) and Netherlands-based Royal FrieslandCampina, one of the world's largest dairy companies.

Great Ocean Ingredients will produce the high value pre-biotic nutritional ingredient Vivinal Gos (Gos) to be exported all over the world to large manufacturers for addition primarily to infant formula, and also to UHT milk, yoghurts, desserts and beverages.

GOS in Vivinal GOS stands for galacto-oligosaccharides, a non-digestible carbohydrate from milk similar to those that occur naturally in human breast milk. Scientific research has shown that Vivinal GOS has a positive effect on the development of the intestinal flora. It helps create the optimal environment to support the growth and sustenance of good bacteria in the gut, and improve the immune system and mineral absorption by the body.

The factory is co-located with WCB's existing operations at Allansford, and GOS is produced from lactose solids in whey permeate that was previously sent to the waste stream.

"Great Ocean Ingredients is ideally aligned with WCB's growth strategy," said WCB's Chairman Frank Davis. "Utilising WCB's raw materials, Great Ocean Ingredients will further value-add to the whey stream from the existing manufacturing process at our plant to create a cutting edge, high-value product for export."

"We're very pleased with this new plant, which allows us to continue to meet the growing demand for the soluble dietary fibre Vivinal Gos. It also means we can offer our customers better stock guarantees with two production facilities for Vivinal Gos," explained Mr Roelof Joosten Managing Director FrieslandCampina Domo. "The new factory underlines FrieslandCampina Domo's strategy to reinforce its position as a global player in value-added products."


The plant was opened by the Minister for Regional and Rural Development for Victoria, Ms Jacinta Allan, in a ceremony attended by the Dutch Honorary Consul, directors and executives of parent company Royal FrieslandCampina and FrieslandCampina Domo, and prominent members of the Warrnambool business community.

Total capital expenditure on the Great Ocean Ingredients Factory will be approximately $75 million. Initially, the factory will employ approximately 25 additional staff, direct and through support provided by Warrnambool Cheese and Butter. The production capacity of Great Ocean Ingredients is 15,000 MT of Vivinal Gos.


ENDS


For more information please contact:


Tricia Kent
(03) 9639 2450
0418 585 154




Great Ocean Ingredients Opening
Media Background Information


Royal FrieslandCampina


Royal FrieslandCampina is one of the world's five largest dairy companies with annual turnover of approximately 9.1 Bn.

FrieslandCampina Domo (Domo) is an operating company of FrieslandCampina. Domo
develops, produces and sells quality ingredients, primarily based on whey and milk.

These nutritionals for life are supplied to infant-, medical -and cell nutrition and pharmaceutical companies worldwide. In addition Domo produces base powders and total infant formula in bulk and consumer packaging for the infant nutrition industry.

FrieslandCampina Domo has production plants in Bedum, Borculo, Beilen, Dronrijp, Veghel and Workum in the Netherlands and in Delhi, USA. FrieslandCampina Domo has sales offices in the Netherlands (head office), Malaysia, USA and the United Kingdom and a global network of representatives and distributors.


Vivinal Gos

The `GOS' in Vivinal GOS stands for galacto-oligosaccharides, a non-digestible carbohydrate from milk, similar to the ones that occur naturally in human breast milk. Vivinal GOS is a prebiotic ingredient that is successfully used in a wide variety of formulations, especially for infants, toddlers and young children. It is also used in yoghurt and UHT milk.

Scientific research has shown that Vivinal GOS has a positive effect on the development of the intestinal flora. It helps create the optimal environment to support the growth and sustenance of good bacteria in the gut. Among other benefits, it helps improve the immune system and mineral absorption by the body for example in formula-fed infants. In other words, it helps the body to help itself.

Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Company Holdings Ltd

WCB, established in 1888, is a great regional Victorian economic success story and a major employer in southwest Victoria. One of Australia's largest milk processors and its only ASX- listed dairy company, WCB produces high quality cheese, milk powders, whey protein concentrate, butter and cream for large corporate clients in domestic and export markets, and also produces the fast-growing fresh milk brand, Sungold.



SOURCE: Warrnambool Cheese And Butter Factory Company Holdings Limited