Arla Foods Ingredients has announced a new supply agreement with Belgian dairy cooperative Milcobel.
Under the terms of the partnership, the Arla Foods subsidiary will source whey protein retentate sourced from Milcobel's mozzarella production facility in Langemark.
It will then refine this raw material ingredient and use it to produce 'specialty ingredients for high-end protein markets', the company said in a statement, including milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) for infant formulas and whey protein hydrolysates for medical nutrition.
Growing Demand
“The starting point for this agreement was the growing demand for high-quality specialty protein ingredients," commented Henrik Andersen, CEO of Arla Foods Ingredients.
"We chose to work with Milcobel because of the very high standards to which it operates and the security of supply it offers. This is another great example of dairy cooperatives working together for the benefit of their members."
Andersen added that the deal will provide "major new opportunities" for its customers in the medical and early life nutrition sectors.
Create Added Value
Elsewhere, Francis Relaes, managing director, Milcobel Premium Ingredients, said that the deal was a "further reinforcement" of its strategy, enabling it to step up the valorisation of its whey stream and create added value.
"The commitment of our dairy farmers to supply milk of consistent high quality, coupled with the commercial skills and technical expertise of our teams, gives us a unique position in the global mozzarella market," he added.
© 2022 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest A-Brands news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
