US$5M milk processing plant launched to bolster Angolan domestic dairy production

ANGOLA – A new US$5 million milk processing plant was recently inaugurated in the industrial complex of Kikuxi located in Luanda, as a joint venture between the Angolan beverage manufacturer Refriango and the Spanish dairy group, Pascual.

The unit will be called “Lacto RP” and is anticipated to have a processing capacity of 20,000 litres of milk per hour.

The construction of the plant aligns with the increasing demand for dairy products in the country which is resulting in the gradual growth of the Angolan dairy sector.

This is attracting interest from foreign investors who are partnering with local producers to increase local production as in the case of Lacto PR.

The inauguration ceremony was led by the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Victor Fernandes, who announced that the factory will initially process 5 million litres of milk per year.

This amount will be used to produce powdered milk and ultra-high temperature treated (UHT) milk to supply the local market as well as other countries that are members of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

Tomás Meléndez, Director of Pascual’s International Area said, “Our presence in Angola for over 25 years, with our yoghurts, has exceeded our own expectations. We are already leaders in this segment and we are determined to be the reference in dairy products and to continue to open new lines of business.”

The Spanish brand has particular popularity among Angolan children and teenagers and through this partnership with Refriango, they intend to strengthen their position and promote dairy self-sufficiency in the country.

“We want to contribute not only to the development of Angola but also to its social development. Our ambition is for the country to be able to self-supply without relying on imports, with nutritious products of the highest quality, while generating employment throughout the region.”

For Pascual, the new plant in Angola marks the start of a new business strategy, which aims to gradually replace exports with internationalization, marketing and local production.

In its initial phases of operations, the plant will source its raw materials from Spain, Portugal and New Zealand.

The construction of the factory is aimed at stimulating the local supply of dairy to reduce the country’s reliance on imports.

Dairy imports currently cater for approximately 90% of demand in the domestic market, according to Mr Fernandes.

The Angolan dairy sector is reportedly in an embryonic stage with the country producing roughly 220,000 tonnes of milk in 2020, up from 218,000 metric tons in the previous year, according to data from Statista.

Since 2010, the production of milk has been expanding in the country. That year, Angola registered an output of some 198 thousand metric tons of milk.

Pascual has several other projects underway to positively impact the Angolan society through its products, including the “Professor Pascual” initiative, created in partnership with Refriango and UNESCO, which aims to train young people in nutrition education and healthy eating.

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