Fonterra Increases Cheese Production
New Zealand-based dairy co-operative Fonterra has completed work on a new NZ$72 million (Eur48 million) mozzarella plant at its Clandeboye site, doubling production of the world-famous cheese and creating enough mozzarella to top more than 300 million pizzas a year. The mozzarella – one of Fonterra’s most sought after cheeses – is destined for global pizza and pasta restaurant chains across China, Asia and the Middle East.
Fonterra Managing Director of Global Operations Robert Spurway says the co-operative has seen growth in consumer and foodservice categories and this expansion will form a key part of that success in the future. “The expansion at Clandeboye is a great example of our V3 strategy in action,” he says. “Foodservice products such as cheese give a high value on return and, thanks to our strength in research and development, we’re able to cut months off the production time of this mozzarella to deliver on our velocity proposition. The additional capacity will bring volume to that equation.”
The expansion is part of Fonterra’s wider strategy to build on strength in foodservice, along with the doubling of cream cheese production at Te Rapa, the recent commissioning of the Waitoa UHT site and plans to expand slice-on-slice cheese capacity at Eltham.
The Clandeboye site has commenced 24 hour production, with farmers supplying winter milk to help meet global demand for individual quick frozen grated mozzarella. Fonterra’s premium performance mozzarella is world-renowned for its outstanding stretch, excellent melt and very characteristic ‘New Zealand’ buttery flavour, he says.
