Production has begun at a new whey and lactose production facility that is a joint venture between Denmark’s Arla Foods Ingredients and German dairy co-operative Deutsches Milchkontor (DMK).
The factory, which cost more than €50 million (US$66.99 million) to build, is operated by ArNoCo, an organisation created by the two companies specifically to produce high quality ingredients for the food and beverage industry.
Located in Nordhackstedt in Germany, the facility is adjacent to an existing 60,000 tons-a-year cheese factory owned by DMK.
This site produces Mozzarella and semi-hard cheeses such as Gouda.
ArNoCo will use the whey by-product from DMK’s cheese-making operations to produce whey protein concentrate ready to be converted into value-added ingredients for the bakery, dairy and nutrition sectors.
The new site will also produce 25,000 tons of lactose annually, which will be processed and sold as Arla Foods Ingredients’ premium quality Dry Blend lactose for infant formula.
Following a test production phase in July, the ArNoCo factory is now running at 80% capacity and is on track to be at full capacity in September.
