NETHERLANDS – Swiss dairy manufacturer Emmi is investing SFr40m (US$43.7m) to establish a new spray-drying facility for the production of goat milk powder at its site in Etten-Leur, the Netherlands.
Etten-Leur is the site of its two subsidiaries Goat Milk Powder (which produces whey protein and whole milk powder) and Bettinehoeve which specializes in goat cheese production.
The company said that once completed the state-of-the-art spray-drying facility will help meet the growing demand for high-quality, nutrient-rich goat’s milk powder, particularly for baby food.
It is also expected to create about 30 jobs once fully operational
The facility relies on an electric heat pump – instead of a gas-powered steam system – which Emmi says reduces annual CO2 emissions by more than 6,000 tonnes.
Additionally, it uses residual heat from Bettinehoeve’s nearby speciality cheese production facility and has air compressors to recover the energy used for cooling.
The new facility reduces water consumption by 20% due to a system that recirculates the condensate from the steamed milk back into the water cycle, according to Emmi.
“Thanks to the great commitment of the teams, we can commission our new, resource-efficient facility for goat’s milk powder as planned,” said Ricarda Demarmels, CEO of the Emmi Group.
“The increased production capacity and the facility’s technological design enable us to further strengthen our position in this attractive niche with the newly established Emmi Nutritional Solutions and to tap into new markets and segments.”
The company has also announced it is bundling its goat’s milk powder activities under the umbrella of the newly established Emmi Nutritional Solutions (ENS). Approximately 30 new jobs will be created at the new umbrella group.
The new strategic unit is a consolidation of AVH dairy trade, a goat and sheep’s milk powder trader that has been part of the Emmi Group since 2013, and Goat Milk Powder, a goat milk powder producer in which Emmi has held a stake since 2016.
With consolidation, Emmi group noted that synergies can be leveraged more effectively and growth initiatives can be driven forward with a focus on a dynamic market environment.
The company stated that pure goat’s milk powder can improve or prolong people’s quality of life, due to its high tolerance and nutritional quality from infancy and childhood to those advancing in age.
Goat milk powder is a valuable source of protein, minerals, vitamins and trace elements, and has a nutritional profile that is comparable to human breast milk.
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